Hurricane
by I Caught Myself
Summary: "No matter how many deaths that I die, I will never forget. No matter how many lives that I live I will never forget. There's a fire inside this heart and a riot about to explode into flames." Sequel to 'A Beautiful Lie' in which Jet survived.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: So. Sequel. Jet's alive, though all other events are canon... for now. I didn't feel like jumping straight back into the action, so here's a little prologue I wrote as a general follow-up to "A Beautiful Lie", relating to the canon.

Summary: "No matter how many deaths that I die, I will never forget. No matter how many lives that I live I will never forget. There's a fire inside this heart and a riot about to explode into flames." Sequel to 'A Beautiful Lie' in which Jet survived. Goes from the Fall of Ba Sing Se up until the end of Sozin's Comet, spoiler warning.

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender

Hurricane

Prologue

_Yesterday, Ba Sing Se fell to the Fire Nation._

_ In the end, there wasn't much of a fight. The Earth Kingdom gave in – there was no point in fighting back. The Avatar was dead. There were too many Fire Nation troops. There were rumours that they had entered the city in disguise – two of them had come in with the refugees, disgraced members of the Fire Nation Royal Family – Prince Zuko and the Dragon of the West. After them came Princess Azula and her allies, in disguise as the honoured Kyoshi Warriors._

_ Several rebellions have broken out all over the city._

_ Ba Sing Se is too large for the firebenders to cover everywhere, so the rebels keep moving. The only constant is their headquarters, which is rumoured to be in a tea shop in the Lower Ring of the city. Whenever the Fire Nation soldiers search the shop, there is never any sign of any rebels or 'Freedom Fighters' as they call themselves._

_ The leader of the rebellion is a sixteen year old Earth Kingdom boy – no, man – named Jet. He fights against the Fire Nation because they took everything from him – they took his family, his home and his lover. He doesn't remember much about the person he had loved, only what Smellerbee will tell him – she says that his name had been Li – he had been a handsome boy, though an encounter with a firebender had left him with permanent scarring on his face, and he died when the Fire Nation invaded the city. He was killed personally by the Prince of the Fire Nation, but she won't tell Jet anything else about this so called 'Li'._

_ Jet doesn't even know whether she's telling him the truth or not, and he isn't sure he wants to know – he's seen the anger in her eyes whenever he asks her to tell him more. It seems as though no-one wants to talk about Li and the circumstances in which he died._

_ No-one wants to tell him the circumstances how he ended up under Lake Laogai either. He knew that he was arrested, but Smellerbee won't tell him what for. She says that it would be too painful for him to know – so he knows that it relates to Li somehow. All he can remember is that his parents were murdered by the Fire Nation, some of his life as a Freedom Fighter and helping the Avatar and his friends – the dead Avatar and his friends who seemed to have escaped._

_ When it comes to Ba Sing Se, his memories are hazy, like the smoke wafting from the palace._

**A/N: Chapter 1 is in progress at the moment, and I will hopefully have it up soon. I need to concentrate a bit on my Resident Evil fic, seeing as it's been a while since I updated that...**

**Any comments or feedback are appreciated.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you for all of the reviews and favourites already, and they're just on the prologue! I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint :D**

**Summary: "No matter how many deaths that I die, I will never forget. No matter how many lives that I live I will never forget. There's a fire inside this heart and a riot about to explode into flames." Sequel to 'A Beautiful Lie' in which Jet survived. Goes from the Fall of Ba Sing Se up until the end of Sozin's Comet, spoiler warning.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender**

**Hurricane**

**Chapter 1**

"Jet! You have to stay in bed!" Smellerbee exclaimed, swooping down on the Rebel 'Captain' who looked to Longshot for help. The archer shrugged and walked out of the room – he had been in there last time Jet had tried to get out of bed and an explosive argument had erupted between the Rebel Captain and Smellerbee. The rank had been presented to him as propaganda, to show the Fire Nation that the Freedom Fighters were now an army, an army determined to take back their city. "You can't go out and fight until you've recovered from Lake Laogai!"

"Smellerbee, I just want to stretch my legs." Jet insisted, only wincing slightly as he sat up in the small rickety bed.

"Just wait until the soldiers are gone, please."

"What soldiers?" Jet asked, pushing the girl aside. He limped over to the door to the small bedroom he was in and opened it just enough for him to peek out into the tea shop. There was a group of rowdy Fire Nation soldiers sat in the corner, being served by Jin. According to Smellerbee, she had known Li – she had been on a date with him once. She had become a part of the resistance force to help to avenge the scarred boy.

"They've been here for a while now." Smellerbee said, gently helping Jet walk back over to the bed. "It seems that Pao managed to learn how to make a good cup of tea from... never mind."

"Li's uncle Mushi, right? The one who was imprisoned by the Fire Nation after Li was killed." He noticed the hesitancy on the girl's face. "It's okay, Smellerbee. You can stop walking on eggshells – I don't remember anything about Li or his uncle." Jet said with a sigh, pulling the blankets up to cover his bandaged torso.

Smellerbee sat down on the edge of the bed. "I'm sorry, Jet. You know we don't talk about it – it was bad for everyone, not just you. Maybe you couldn't cope with it which is why you can't remember anything that had happened."

"No, I can't remember anything because of what the _Dai Li _did." Jet spat the words as though it was something disgusting. "Fucking traitors. For all we know they could've been working for the firebenders all along. Just imagine – how else would firebenders have got in disguised as refugees? I bet they were helping this 'Prince Zuko' all along."

"That's something we'll never know."

For some reason, the name 'Zuko' brought some familiarity back to Jet – it was usually a torrent of emotions, some that he couldn't find the words to explain except for one – the flood of rage and grief. He supposed that was because Zuko had killed Li, or so he had been told.

When Jin was steered into the backroom by Longshot, she was crying. Pao followed them in and placed a comforting arm around her shoulders.

Smellerbee walked over to Jin and pried her hands away from her face. "Are they hassling you again?"

"Who's hassling her?" Jet asked, sitting up in bed with a hiss.

"Jet, stay out of this." Smellerbee scowled, and then turned her attention back to Jin. "Is it the soldiers again?"

"If you can even call them that!" The girl sniffed and nodded. "They... they asked P-Pao if I came ch-ch-cheap like ... like the tea! They... think I'm some s-sort of whore!"

Jet threw back the blankets. "They can't get away with this."

"Jet, leave it." Smellerbee insisted, grabbing his arm. "There isn't anything you can do. You'll just get into a fight and they'll hurt you. Just... just rest, please? You're not strong enough to go around picking fights."

He snatched his arm away from Smellerbee. "No, they can't treat us this way! This is our city, and they have to remember it!"

Longshot decided that then would be good time to pay a visit to the water pump.

"Jet, it's their city now." Smellerbee said. "I know what you're about to say, but they captured Ba Sing Se. There wasn't anything any of us could do. We just have to sit tight and do what we can to piss off the Fire Nation until –"

"Until what?" Jet snarled, stopping at the door. "There is nothing anyone can do! No-one is coming to help us! The Avatar is dead. The Fire Nation think they have won the war, but they haven't. They won't win while people like us still fight against them! I'm not going to stand by and watch as the Fire Nation destroys everything!" He pointed outside the door, into the tea shop. "I am not going to let scum like that come in here and tell us what to do! I'm not going to stand here and watch them degrade us!"

Smellerbee reached for him just as he walked out of the door. "Jet, you're going to –"

It was too late.

Jet walked straight over to where the soldiers were sat and stopped at their table, gripping the edge for support.

The Fire Nation soldiers looked up at the injured Earth Kingdom peasant standing alongside them. He was only wearing trousers, as his torso was covered with extensive bandaging – he had probably been a soldier in the Earth Kingdom army, injured in the Fire Nation's assault on the city.

"What do you want, kid?" One of the soldiers asked.

"You owe my friend apology."

The soldier scoffed. "I don't owe anyone an apology."

"You arrogant bastard!" Jet hissed and grabbed the soldier by his collar. "You called my friend a whore – you can't come in here and treat people like shit!"

"Listen kid, you're Earth Kingdom – last time I checked, the Fire Nation controlled Ba Sing Se – not the Earth Kingdom." The other soldier said. "Why don't you back off and find something worthwhile to do like getting us another pot of tea. This one's cold now."

Jet punched the soldier.

There was uproar in the tea shop.

People began to gather round the table where the soldiers were sat, cheering loudly. The soldier who Jet had punched got to his feet and spat blood out of his mouth. The other soldier grabbed Jet from behind, holding him with his arms behind his back.

"You're going to pay for starting on me, you fucking peasant." The soldier snarled, preparing to punch Jet in the ribs – the bandages signalled to him that the man was already injured, indicating a weakness.

"Bring it!" Jet snarled, kicking out at the soldier, ignoring the pain in his chest. He had always been a fighter – even though he was seriously injured, he was determined to do some damage to the Fire Nation soldiers who had violated his home.

Smellerbee ran out of the backroom and kicked the soldier holding Jet. The soldier released the Rebel Captain, clutching his kneecap and howling. Jet grabbed one of the tea cups off the table and threw it at the other soldier before he was grabbed from behind again – it seemed that back-up had arrived.

"Get off me!" Jet snapped.

And then he noticed that everyone in the tea shop had gone to their knees on the floor, bowing down before whoever had just stepped into the doorway.

"What's going on here?" A female voice drawled

Jet was thrown to the floor as the guard who was holding him bowed down too.

"Princess Azula, this man attacked us." The soldier explained, standing up and restraining Jet again whilst the other guard grabbed Smellerbee from behind. "We were trying to detain him. He was disrespectful towards the Fire Nation."

"Zuko, how did you manage to live among these people for so long?" The girl who Jet guessed was 'Princess Azula' said to the young man standing next to her, just out of Jet's line of sight. "They're completely barbaric."

_Zuko?_ Jet thought. "BASTARD! COME AND FACE ME!"

Azula sneered and rubbed her hands together. "Ooh, it looks as though this one is mad at you for some reason, Zuko – though that isn't surprising. You did live among these people and _then_ betrayed them along with uncle. Come and look at him – see if you recognise him."

The Prince of the Fire Nation stepped out of the shadows, both of his gold eyes bright with a fever and wide with shock even though one of them was frozen into a permanent scowl due to a large, angry burn scar.

xXx

When Zuko had woken up that morning he had not expected to find Jet – yes, he was certain that it was the Freedom Fighter – in the tea shop where he used to work, brawling with Fire Nation soldiers even though he had obviously suffered extensive injuries through some circumstances – probably resisting the Fire Nation invasion of Ba Sing Se.

He had woken up hot and sweaty in the Earth King's palace after having a vivid dream about the other boy – no, young man – who had been dragged away for accusing him and his uncle of being firebenders. In his dream, Jet had come back. It had started out with apologies and whispered confessions of affection and then led onto amazingly hot dream sex.

From there it had gone downhill.

Jet had tried to kill him in his dream.

In the end, Zuko thought he may have succeeded. He didn't know because he had woken up just on the brink of breaking down and sobbing.

He had been having the nightmares ever since Jet had been dragged away.

When he left his chamber, he was been startled by Azula waiting outside.

"Fancy a trip around the city before we leave?" Azula asked, leaning against the wall, checking her nails. "We could see if any of your peasant friends recognise you. You can see the hurt on their faces when they realise that you are the reason Ba Sing Se fell."

Zuko scowled and started to walk away. "Back off, Azula."

"It sounded as though you were having an interesting dream, Zuko." She sneered, catching up with him. "_Very_ interesting. I don't suppose you want to enlighten me as to who this 'Jet' is? No? I thought as much."

"Don't you have somewhere else to be?" Zuko sighed.

"No." Azula said in a tone which suggested that she _did_ have somewhere else to be – probably intimidating some new recruits. "So, are you going to come around the city with me or are you going to sit with Mai and sigh all day? I know which one I would rather be doing..."

"I do need to talk to Mai."

"Well that can wait." Azula said, rolling her eyes. "I think it would do you good to see what you helped us accomplish – I'm sure father will be very proud of you when he finds out that you helped me crush the Earth Kingdom."

xXx

_These people are anything but crushed._ Zuko thought, looking around the tea shop. Somehow, he managed to only give Jet a quick glance – he didn't want the Freedom Fighter to decide to try and confront him in front of everyone. The last thing he needed was for Azula to find out about his relationship with Jet.

"So, what did you do to make this one mad?" Azula asked Zuko, stepping closer to Jet. She inspected his face for a few moments, before smirking. "Oh I know who you are. I saw your picture when I was in clearing out Long Feng's office. There was some information about you and your time in Lake Laogai..."

"What do you know about that?" Jet snarled, lunging forwards, though he was pulled back by the soldier holding him.

"Not much." Azula said, flicking her hair. "Just that you were arrested for attacking some guy called Li on suspicion of him being a firebender –"

_What?_ Jet thought. _No... I loved Li... Why would I accuse him of that? What? I..._

The scar.

The Prince had a scar.

Prince Zuko had killed Li.

Li had a scar, or so he had been told. He couldn't remember much about him.

What if... what if everything he had been told was a lie?

"– Of course, you were right. He wasn't really an Earth Kingdom refugee. He was Zuko in disguise. Don't you really hate it when no-one believes you even though you're the one telling the truth?"

Zuko grabbed Azula's arm and turned her around to face him. His expression was stony as he glared at his younger sister. "Azula, stop."

"Why should I stop?" Azula asked, snatching her arm away. "These people need to know their place, Zuko."

"Can't you see that he's distressed?" Zuko hissed.

Azula looked at the Earth Kingdom rebel who Zuko was so eager to defend. He was obviously distressed. Confusion and anger was written all over his face at Azula's words.

Jet didn't know what was going on – he was confused about Li and he was confused about Zuko. Were they really the same person? Was the Prince of the Fire Nation _his_ Li, the one who had been killed... supposedly by the Prince of the Fire Nation?

Zuko had a scar over his left eye, and he had been told that Li had a scar from a firebender. Everything made so much and so little sense at the same time.

"Do I look as though I care, Zuko?" Azula snapped. "Arrest him for attacking Fire Nation soldiers and his other numerous crimes – he's obviously a key figure in the resistance if his past is anything to go by. He'll be taken back to the capital when we leave to be tried for his war crimes. Guards, bring him now."

"What about the girl?" The guard asked, shoving Smellerbee forwards.

"She isn't important." Azula said. "Let her go."

Zuko watched as the guards marched past him, dragging Jet with them. Jet lunged at Zuko, but was pulled back at the last minute.

"I just want to ask you a question and I want you to answer it truthfully." Jet snarled.

"I'll answer."

"When you were in disguise in the city your name was Li, wasn't it?" Jet asked. "Were you _him_?"

Zuko took a moment to consider what it was that Jet was really asking – whether he was questioning the relationship they had before or not. Zuko hesitated and then he nodded. "Yes. I was Li."

"They told me you were killed by Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation." Jet said coldly. "They all lied to me! Why?"

"I don't consider it to be a lie." Zuko said, looking away.

Jet was about to say something else, but the guards dragged him towards the door.

Azula walked over to Zuko, a sadistic smile on her lips. "That looked like a touching moment." She said, watching as Jet was dragged out of the tea shop, yelling protests and Earth Kingdom propaganda. "But I suppose you and him had many of those."

"What are you talking about, Azula?" Zuko scowled.

"There was a lot about him in Long Feng's office, Zuzu." Azula said, walking out of the tea shop with Zuko following close behind her. "There were a lot of transcripts from his 'treatment' written down. A lot of them mentioned you in a rather interesting context..."

"It's none of your business!" Zuko snapped.

"Oh, I'm not interested in any of the details." Azula said, her eyes flicking to Zuko. "I'm just giving you a friendly warning Zuko – you might want to make sure he doesn't say anything to incriminate you in front of any members of the court or father. You might get banished again. Or worse – homosexuality _is_ punishable by death."

**A/N: So, what did you think of the first chapter? The second one will be worked on as soon as I update my Resident Evil fic.**

**Any comments or feedback are much appreciated! :D**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: This chapter took me longer than I thought it would, but I'm pleased with how it turned out.**

**Summary: "No matter how many deaths that I die, I will never forget. No matter how many lives that I live I will never forget. There's a fire inside this heart and a riot about to explode into flames." Sequel to 'A Beautiful Lie' in which Jet survived. Goes from the Fall of Ba Sing Se up until the end of Sozin's Comet, spoiler warning.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender**

**Warnings: Maiko (Mai/Zuko), because I am sticking to the canon, no matter how loosely. Honestly, I have nothing against Mai (or shipping her with Zuko. It can be cute when they're not just sitting there _sighing_) but she's just so... so ugh to write because she feels almost _nothing_ most of the time. I tried to keep her as in character as possible, but I'm not sure if I did in some places.**

**Hurricane**

**Chapter 2**

"Why can't I see him?" Zuko demanded.

"Sorry, Prince Zuko." One of the guards who was standing outside the prison said. "Princess Azula has forbid anyone from visiting the prisoners until we have boarded the ship and are safely on the way back to the Fire Nation. She is worried that someone may try to help them escape."

_By someone she means me I'll bet._ Zuko thought with scowl. "Fine! I'll wait until were on the ship!"

He stormed out of the prison, into the corridor of the palace that would take him back to the room he had been staying in. He still needed to finish packing for the trip back to the Fire Nation – he was amazed at how many belongings he actually had now that he had been reunited with his sister. It seemed as though she had planned for his return, bringing several changes of clothes for him and some servants to help him dress, though he had dismissed them – he had been dressing himself on a daily basis for years now. The only problem he had was putting armour on by himself.

"Zuko? I erm..." Mai blushed as Zuko walked past her in the palace corridor. He was pretty sure he had never seen her blush, but the pink on her cheeks contrasted well with her pale skin. "I was just wondering if I could talk to you for a few minutes."

"Oh, sure." Zuko said. "But make it quick – I have to finish packing." In fact, he had been meaning to talk to her – he hadn't seen Mai since they were children, and he had always felt something for his sister's gloomy friend.

"You did the right thing yesterday." Mai said quietly, her gaze flicking down to the stone floor. "When you sided with Azula – I think you were brave."

"How was I brave?" Zuko asked.

"Because you had to choose between her and your uncle." Mai explained. "And you have been looked after by your uncle for most of your life. I can't remember a time when you and Azula ever really got along... I just think it was a brave thing for you to do, choosing her over him. You chose your nation over your family."

"Oh... erm... thanks." Zuko smiled. "So what did you want to talk to me about?"

"Erm..." She blushed a deeper shade of red. _I'm a strong, independent woman. I can tell him how I feel._ "Now that you're back... I... I just wanted to say that you... you really filled out while you were away."

"Yes..." Zuko scratched the back of his head nervously. "You look... you look amazing, Mai. I can't believe how much you changed in three years. I thought... I thought I was going to come home to the quiet girl with the knife obsession who was friends with my sister for some reason I couldn't work out – I didn't even know if you would still be friends with my sister. I didn't know whether I would see you again or not."

"I wouldn't say I've changed that much..." Mai said. "I still have my knives." She reached up and touched the scar over his left eye. "I never got to say goodbye to you when you were banished. My parents wouldn't let me. They didn't approve of you."

"Would they now?" Zuko asked, looking down at her. He brushed her fringe out of her eyes and felt his stomach churning. _This is how I'm supposed to feel. I'm supposed to like girls. I'm supposed to like Mai._

"If I'm honest, I don't care anymore." She said. "I'm sick of letting my father's reputation control my life."

"So am I." Zuko chuckled quietly and kissed her lightly on the mouth.

Mai broke away, blushing. "You should finish packing. We're supposed to be leaving in an hour."

xXx

They had been at sea for a while now.

Jet was sitting in his small, cold, metal cell with his knees drawn up to his chest, hugging them with his shackled hands and resting his head on them. He was tired and he felt sick – sick because of the continuous up and down motion of the ship on the waves and sick because of everything that was happening – _Zuko_ was _Li_. He had been told that he had loved Li... he had been told that he had accused Li of being a firebender... he had been told that Zuko had killed Li... nothing made any sense.

The door to the cell opened, and Jet heard footsteps on the metal floor.

"Jet, it's me." A familiar voice said, and Jet looked up to find himself face to face with the source of his confusion. "It's Zuko."

"I guess you stopped going by the name of Li when Ba Sing Se fell – if you really were Li. I'm still confused about what the fuck happened." Jet snarled, looking up at the Prince.

Zuko flinched and crouched down in front of him. "I... I regained my honour when Ba Sing Se was taken. According to my sister, my father will welcome me back with open arms."

"Wasn't your father the one who gave you that ugly scar?" Jet asked, his lip curling in disgust as Zuko self-consciously pulled his hood down lower. "You have everything you've ever dreamed of, Zuko. Congratulations. It just came with the price of the whole of the Earth Kingdom and my broken heart."

"You don't understand!" Zuko protested. "Your parents loved you – you never had to earn their approval, they always loved you! You don't understand what it's like to be alone! You've always been surrounded by people who adore you – your Freedom Fighters are an example of that! After my cousin died, my uncle was disgraced and my mother left – I had no-one! The only time when people started to care about me again was when I was banished... and... and..." Zuko scrunched up his eyes, trying to stop the tears from leaking out. _The only person who cared was uncle. I'm sure he doesn't anymore._ "And then I met you and everything changed."

Jet chuckled darkly and shook his head. "And then you betrayed me. It doesn't seem like anything changed. You're the same Fire Nation scum that you always were. No wonder you were so scared of feeling anything for me... you knew you had to betray me... why didn't you just tell me to leave you alone?"

"Whenever I tried you kept coming back." Zuko said, fondness coming through in his voice as he reached a hand out towards Jet. "You didn't give up on me. I'm not going to give up on you."

Jet snarled and sank his teeth into Zuko's hand.

Zuko yelped and snatched his hand away. Due to how hard Jet had bit down, the Freedom Fighter had managed to draw blood. He covered the wound with his other hand and looked at Jet, tears stinging his eyes. "What will it take to show you that I still care about you?"_ I have Mai now. I can't feel anything for him._

"Take me back to Ba Sing Se. Help me recapture the city for the Earth Kingdom." Jet said, glaring at Zuko with eyes full of fire. "When we've done that, take me to the Fire Nation – but not as your prisoner. Take me to the royal palace and let me kill the Fire Lord – let me kill your father for everything he's done to the world. Let me kill him for my parents. Let me kill him for _you_. You suffered in this war, Zuko. He gave you that scar himself. Why the hell do you want to go back to him? How can you forgive him?"

"He's my father." Zuko shrugged. "What else can I do?"

"You can fight. You can run away from him. You can run away with me." Jet urged. "We can find an Earth Kingdom village to settle down in... we can create a new life – just the two of us."

"I can't do that..." Zuko said, shaking his head. "He'll find me again, Jet. He'll send my sister to hunt me down and she'll kill us both." _I can't. I have Mai now._

"Can't or won't?" Jet asked.

Zuko looked away.

"Li did die in Ba Sing Se." Jet said grimly, shaking his head. "He would've taken me up on that offer instantly."

"I'm _not_ Li." Zuko stood up. "I never was an Earth Kingdom refugee – I was always the Prince of the Fire Nation. I just lost my way."

"What, and you think you've found it now?" Jet laughed – it was a harsh and unfriendly laugh. "Go ahead – go and regain your _honour_ and your right to the throne. Find a nice Fire Nation girl to settle down with. Just remember this, Zuko – one day I will get out of your Fire Nation prison. I'll go back to the Earth Kingdom and I will form an army to take you all down. I promise."

"You have too much anger. You let it control you." Zuko said, shaking his head. "You would make a great firebender, Jet." He turned around and walked out of the cell, leaving Jet spitting and snarling behind him.

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU, ZUKO!"

xXx

He was standing on the deck, staring at the moon when he heard the footsteps behind him. Expecting Azula to come and taunt him about going to visit Jet, he was shocked when it was Mai that appeared beside him.

"Aren't you cold?" She asked. It was a chilly night, and she hadn't expected to find Zuko standing on the deck.

"I've got a lot on my mind." Zuko answered. "It's been so long... over three years since I was home. I wonder what's changed. I wonder how I've changed."

Mai yawned. "I only asked if you were cold. I didn't ask for your whole life story." She smiled and wrapped her arms around Zuko, placing a hand on his cheek. "Stop worrying." He allowed her to turn his head and plant a kiss on his lips before she walked away, heading for the front of the ship.

"Mai?"

"Hmm?" She turned around to face him.

"Why are you out here?" He asked.

She was hesitant. "Azula told me to see if I could find anything out about what you talked about with that prisoner – she seems pretty interested in how you and him know each other and things like that."

Zuko felt as though someone had stabbed him in the stomach and twisted the knife. "Oh. But you didn't even ask me about that."

"Just because she told me to do it, it didn't mean I was going to. You should know me better than that." Mai said. "Don't worry – I'll just make something up to keep her off your trail."

"Thanks, Mai." Zuko said. "Does Azula know... about us?"

"Not yet." Mai said. "I didn't want to tell her – she went to see the Earth Kingdom prisoner last thing I saw."

_She better not hurt him._

Mai sighed, being able to read the concern on the scarred boys face. "Look, Zuko – I know it probably isn't any of my business but you might want to try and distance yourself from him." Mai said, unable to meet Zuko's gaze. She had heard a few rumours about some sort of... _wrong_... relationship between the Prince and the rebel. "There's a couple of rumours going around, and I'm sure they don't need any more fuel – they're not the sort of thing you want people saying about you."

"Oh. Thanks." Zuko said, his attention turning back to the moon.

xXx

"What the hell do you want?" Jet snarled, gripping the bars on the cell door.

"Oh, calm down." Azula rolled her eyes, flicking her hair. "I just wanted to talk to you about my brother and your _relationship_ with him."

Jet snorted, looking away. "There's nothing to tell."

"I saw how mad you were at him." Azula said, smirking as she too came close to the bars, staring into Jet's eyes. "I just wanted to know if you hurt my brother."

"No, I didn't hurt your brother." Jet snapped. _If anything, he hurt me. He's the reason I was arrested. He's the reason I went to Lake Laogai. He's the reason I nearly died there and he's the reason you people managed to take Ba Sing Se. I think I have several good reasons to be mad at him._ But he didn't say it. He wasn't going to give Azula anything to use against him.

"So nothing else happened between you?" Azula asked.

"No." Jet replied with a growl. He let go of the bars and walked over to the opposite end of the cell. "Nothing happened between us."

Azula rolled her eyes. "Well, I guess I'll have to take your word for it. I'm sure we'll speak to each other again soon." She left the prison block, closing the creaky door behind her.

Jet ignored her – why did these people have to keep coming to talk to him? He just wanted to be left alone. When he was alone he could think. He could think of a way to escape. He could think of when his life had been good, back when he was living in the forest. Back when he had just arrived in Ba Sing Se.

Back when Zuko had been Li.

xXx

"I need to find a way to get to him." Azula said, pacing up and down her quarters. "He isn't afraid of me – why isn't he afraid? Anyone else would have been cowering before me... He didn't even answer of my questions properly. His answers were all dismissive and as though he didn't care."

"Maybe you should try taking a different approach." Ty Lee suggested.

"Like what?" Azula asked. "Torture?"

Ty Lee giggled. "No... I was thinking that maybe you should give Zuko more access to him and keep a really close eye on them."

"Hmm." Azula smiled. "Yes, that might work. Hopefully, we can get something about their relationship..."

"Azula, why are you bringing him home?" Mai asked, finally becoming an active participant in the conversation. "I know that it's not because you _want_ him home. It's obvious you have another motive. You always do."

"Mai, it's the same motive that I always have." Azula said. "I want to humiliate my brother. He's a disgrace to our family and our nation. If he and the rebel did have a –" Azula wrinkled her nose in disgust. "– Relationship, then our father will probably have him killed, securing my place on the throne."

_I have to warn him._ Mai thought to herself. _But if I do, Azula will know. She always knows._

**A/N: Another chapter done :D**

**Any comments or feedback are appreciated.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Sorry for the wait for this chapter! I meant to have this up sooner, but my history coursework deadline got in the way. Thank you – all of you – for your patience. I had quite a few hits on the last chapter, but no reviews. If you have the time, please drop me a line to tell me what you think.**

**The chapter uses scenes from Book Three: Fire, Episode 1: The Awakening and Episode 2: The Headband.**

**I am only assuming that what happened to Iroh's wife may be true, seeing as she is never mentioned in the series.**

**Summary: "No matter how many deaths that I die, I will never forget. No matter how many lives that I live I will never forget. There's a fire inside this heart and a riot about to explode into flames." Sequel to 'A Beautiful Lie' in which Jet survived. Goes from the Fall of Ba Sing Se up until the end of Sozin's Comet, spoiler warning.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender**

**Hurricane**

**Chapter 3**

Zuko could see the towers of the Fire Nation Royal Palace from the front of the ship where he was stood. If he said that he wasn't afraid, he would've been lying. He hadn't been home in so long... it was just as he had said to Mai – he wondered how he had changed.

And he had changed.

He had become an entirely new person during his time living among the refugees in Ba Sing Se – he had become a person.

Before his banishment, everything had been different. He had listened to his father. He was quiet when told to be, well except for when new recruits would be unjustly sent to their deaths. He would be polite to the people his father told him to show respect to. He would never question the disappearance of his mother – his father told him that she had gone, and he didn't need to know anymore. Now he understood why he had been banished. He understood people better – he had been banished so that he could become someone his father would be proud of.

If he had realised all of this, why was he terrified of facing his father?

His father had said that he wasn't allowed home without capturing the Avatar. He hadn't captured the Avatar. The Earth Kingdom thought Azula had killed him, and as much as Zuko wanted to believe it he couldn't. The Water Tribe girl – what was her name again? Katara. That one. She had water from the Spirit Oasis at the North Pole. She had said that she was saving it for something special. Zuko knew that there was a possibility she had saved the Avatar with it.

Zuko was stirred from his thoughts by giggling coming from behind him, and he turned around to see Mai and Ty Lee whispering to each other. He saw Mai scowl at the other girl, and then Ty Lee basically _skipped away_. It made Zuko wonder where she got all of her... enthusiasm from. He couldn't think of a time when he had ever seen his sister's friend anything less than ecstatic.

Mai walked over to him and entwined her fingers with his, resting her head on his shoulder, smiling up at him. "Welcome home."

"Yeah, home." Zuko murmured, directing his attention back to the landscape that was getting closer. _I don't know what I'm supposed to feel. I'm so confused._ "I've missed this place. The Earth Kingdom was so... different." _It was more like the Fire Nation should be._

xXx

Jet could hear the shouts from soldiers up on deck. It seemed they had arrived at the Fire Nation capital. The sunlight was streaming through the grating in the ceiling of his cell, giving him a view of a clear blue sky.

"Welcome to Hell, Jet." He muttered to himself.

The door to the cell opened, and two Fire Nation soldiers walked in.

"Looking at the sun, kid?" One of them asked, taking up a stance just in case Jet tried to escape. The other walked over to him and clapped some cuffs on him. "You better take a good look – it's the last time you'll ever see it."

"You sound confident about that." Jet said, allowing them to lead him out of the cell. "I promise, the first thing I am going to do when I escape is kill you both."

Both of the soldiers laughed. "You can't escape from being dead."

"What makes you think I'm going to die?" Jet snorted. _If Zuko is really as sorry as he says he is, then I'll be out of here quicker than you can say 'execution trial'._

He was led down the ramp off the Fire Nation ship. To him, the landscape didn't look very different to some areas of the Earth Kingdom. The only thing that was different was the lack of the trees – he had always felt at home around trees.

He was led onto a float at the back of the royal procession, which was being led by Zuko's sister. She was standing proudly at the front, with her two friends either side of her. Zuko was slightly further back, now dressed in ceremonial armour of the Fire Nation.

Jet had to admit that he looked handsome all dressed up in the black armour with his hair fastened in a top knot. Under all of the anger and pain he felt whenever he looked at the Prince of the Fire Nation, he felt his heart flutter. This was what Zuko was supposed to look like – he wasn't supposed to be dressed in the garments of a refugee, working in a tea shop in a city built on the money made by the poor – Ba Sing Se was a myth. He felt that he and his friends would've been better off living in the forest.

He was on the float with other prisoners, most likely Earth Kingdom soldiers who tried to fight back at Ba Sing Se. He thought he recognised an old man sitting as far away from him as he could get – the man looked like the old man who Zuko had been travelling with – the man who had posed as his uncle, but Jet couldn't be sure. Uncle 'Mushi' was probably living the good life in Ba Sing Se, taking even more from the poor.

Zuko stepped off the large float when they reached the palace, carrying himself as though he ruled the world.

He basically did now.

The float Jet was on continued on its journey around the city – it was supposed to humiliate the people who had been foolish enough to defy the Fire Nation.

The journey ended when they reached a prison on the outskirts of the city.

xXx

Standing on the balcony looking over the city made him feel vulnerable. There were so many people cheering. They were cheering for the impending Fire Nation victory in the war. They were cheering for the fall of the last Earth Kingdom stronghold. They were cheering for the fall of the Avatar. They were cheering for _him_. They were celebrating his return to the Fire Nation after three years of banishment.

Only the highest ranking members of the Fire Lord's court knew the reason why Zuko had been banished. They were the only people who knew the real reason why he had his scar, except for a few others who knew due to whispered rumours, were his sister, his uncle, and the people he had told on the ship to try and help them understand his nephew and what he had been through. The only person he had told was Jet – he had been the only one he had wanted to share that information with. It had been too private – too _painful_ to tell anyone else.

xXx

It was late when Jet was finally 'welcomed' into the prison – all day he had been through several disarming procedures and interrogations. He had only been asked questions, though it was likely they would come down on him harder when they realised he was _never_ going to co-operate with them.

One of the prison guards looked Jet up and down. "Strip."

"You've got to be fucking kidding me."

"Nope, strip and change into these." The guard held out some neatly folded, dark red trousers, a baggy shirt and a pair of shoes. "Prison regulation."

"Why can't I wear my own clothes?" Jet demanded. "I've already been searched for concealed weapons three times! If I was hiding something, I think they would know by now!"

"It's the prison rules." The guard said. "Either you change yourself, or I'll get you some assistance. It's your choice."

Jet snatched the prison uniform from the guard. "This is bullshit."

"It's the rule." The guard shrugged. "You should've thought about all of this before you got yourself arrested."

Jet grumbled something under his breath and began to undo his belt. He stopped and glared at the guard. "Seriously, are you going to stay here and watch me get changed? Because that's just perverted. Don't you have a girlfriend or a wife or something that you would rather be spending time with?"

The prison guard didn't answer Jet. He just folded his arms and leant back against the wall.

"This is fucking stupid." Jet said, shaking his head as he began to strip off his clothes. He was very much aware of the guard watching him, and the rumours he had heard about prisons – he had always just laughed them off, but now he was sure they were true. Nonetheless, he wasn't going to let himself be intimidated. "So, is this fun for you? Watching prisoners get changed? Do you get off on it?"

The guard didn't answer.

"I thought as much." Jet chuckled, shaking his head. "You enjoying the show? You don't have a girlfriend, do you?"

"Shut up." The guard growled.

"I thought so." Jet said. _This is so easy._ He was turning prison humiliation tactics around on the guard who was trying to humiliate him. "What's it like having to pay for sex?"

Jet laughed as the man's fist made contact with his jaw.

xXx

"You again?" The guard sighed, spotting the man with the red cloak from the night before. "Stop where you are!"

The man raised his head, and the guard noticed the tell-tale scar that covered the man's left eye.

"Prince Zuko?"

Zuko grabbed the prison guard by his collar and slammed him against the wall. His expression was cold and hard. He looked tired, as though he hadn't been sleeping. "I'm going in for a visit. You're gonna stand guard here and _no-one_ is going to know about this." _Especially not Azula or my father._

"Y-yes sir." The guard stammered.

xXx

Zuko looked at Jet, who was pressing a filthy rag to his bleeding lip, and turned his attention back to the prison guard. He had just been to visit his uncle, and the old man hadn't even _looked_ at him, let alone spoke to him. He had tried to talk to his uncle – he had been to see his uncle because he had grown to care a lot about his uncle during the time they had spent together, but Iroh didn't seem to want to see him. He couldn't blame him for choosing the Fire Nation over the Earth Kingdom, could he? The Fire Nation was his home. "What happened to him?"

"He was... being difficult." The guard glowered.

"Oh, I can only imagine." Zuko said, resisting the urge to smile. A small part of him was pleased that Jet hadn't resigned himself to being a prisoner in a strange land – if Jet was being difficult in the way that Zuko imagined, then the prison guards would be in for _hell_. "Leave us – and don't tell anyone I've been here. I can promise you that you won't have a job if you do."

"Yes, Prince Zuko." The prison guard bowed and left.

"Why are you here?" Jet snarled. "Shouldn't you be out celebrating somewhere?"

Zuko knelt down in front of the cell, his hands gripping the bars tightly, so tight it looked as though his knuckles were going to burst through his skin. "I saw my father earlier."

"Why should I care?" Jet asked and spat blood out of his mouth before pressing the rag back against his split lip.

"I was afraid." Zuko confessed. "I hadn't seen my father since he burnt my face. I didn't know if he wanted to see me, and I didn't know if I wanted to see him. The whole time I was there... I couldn't stop thinking: 'What if... what if he knows what I've done? What if he just looks at me and he knows that I disgraced him? What if he looks at me and he knows about you?' I was... I was terrified."

"It isn't my problem." Jet shrugged. "It stopped being my problem when you betrayed me. I'm probably going to be executed by your people – I don't care who finds out about us, Zuko. It's another victory against the Fire Nation for me. They'll be disgusted when they know that their Prince had sex with another man – that he took it willingly from an Earth Kingdom peasant."

"Would you really throw away your life for this?" Zuko hissed. "Would you really be able to throw my life away for this?"

"I tried to kill you before, Zuko." Jet glowered, throwing the dirty rag to the floor. "My only regret is that I didn't finish the job. If I had killed you... if I had, then maybe Ba Sing Se would still be under Earth Kingdom control. I probably wouldn't be here – I would be in Ba Sing Se making my new life. I wouldn't have nearly _died _under Lake Laogai!"

Smoke billowed from Zuko's nostrils. "YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT HAPPENED THERE! STOP ACTING LIKE I'M THE BAD GUY!"

"Well you're not one of the good guys." Jet shrugged.

"I don't even know why I bother!" Zuko stood up to leave.

"What do you mean by that?" Jet asked quietly. "You said that I don't even know what happened under Lake Laogai as if you knew something."

"So what?"

Jet walked over to the bars of the cell. "I want to know what happened."

"I don't want to talk about it." Zuko said, walking out of the cell block. _I was there when you were dying._

xXx

_"Nephew, we have to leave." Iroh said. "It is likely that someone will be down here any minute. They might find us."_

_Zuko was peering around the door, holding his Blue Spirit mask in his gloved hands. "No – they look occupied with something else. The Dai Li are all heading in the same direction. We should check it out." He didn't add 'it might be the Avatar'. He didn't need to – Iroh had figured out that now his nephew had just a small sliver of hope he would be back on his quest._

_Before Iroh could answer him, he had already run out of the cell that they had freed the Avatar's bison from. When he eventually caught up with Zuko, the banished Prince was standing in the doorway to a large room. Zuko sheathed his swords and ran over to the figure laying on the floor, already knowing who it was because of the two Freedom Fighters next to him..._

_"What are you doing here?" Smellerbee demanded, drawing a knife._

_Zuko reacted with lightning quick reflexes and twisted her arm around, making her drop the knife with a cry – it was none of their business what he was doing under Lake Laogai. "What happened to him?"_

_"Why do you care?" Smellerbee asked, rubbing her wrist as Zuko crouched beside Jet and placed a hand on his forehead._

_"I love him." Zuko said as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. "What happened?"_

_"I don't really know... I wasn't there when it happened." Smellerbee said regretfully. "I was held up fighting off the Dai Li... I know he went after Long Feng... but nothing else. When we got here... it was too late. We tried... they tried everything. He doesn't seem to have severe injuries though, just some bruising. I don't know if the damage is internal or what..."_

_Zuko didn't even bother to ask who 'they' were – it didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was Jet was dying._

_"He's not going to get better, is he?" Zuko asked quietly._

_"No." Smellerbee replied. She caught sight of the blue mask on the floor next to Zuko. "Hey... is that...?"_

_"What?" Zuko glanced at the mask. "Oh. Yeah."_

_"You're the Blue Spirit?"_

_"Yes, I am."_

_"But – but the Blue Spirit fights against the Fire Nation." Smellerbee said, confused. "Jet always used to talk about him as a hero."_

_"It's better that he didn't know the truth." Zuko said sadly. "And that he doesn't, in case he does survive this. I... I upset him enough. This would just make it all worse."_

_"May I suggest something?" Iroh asked cautiously._

_"What?" Zuko asked._

_"I know that you have grown out of believing in fairy tales, Zuko, but it is true that some people die of a broken heart – I have seen it myself. It happened to my wife, after I lost my son." Iroh explained. "Perhaps the reason why Jet is so close to the edge is because he no longer believes that there is someone worth living for."_

_"He's got his friends."_

_"His friends aren't you, nephew."_

_"What even makes you think he's dying because of me?" Zuko asked. "He could just be badly injured! Love isn't going to save him!"_

_"At least say goodbye to him." Iroh urged. "You will regret leaving this place without acknowledging what he truly meant to you."_

_Zuko shook his head. "Fine. But then we have to go." _I can't lose the Avatar's trail...

_He clasped one of Jet's hands in his – the Freedom Fighter felt cold. Colder than he had ever felt before. Zuko took a deep breath, slowly heating up his hands so that he could make Jet feel his warmth – it wasn't right, feeling the Freedom Fighter's skin so cold._

_"We'll give you a moment." Iroh said, and he walked over to the other side of the room with the other Freedom Fighters._

_Zuko watched them for a few moments, and then turned his attention back to Jet. "I'm sorry for everything. I am so sorry." He whispered, scrunching up his eyes. "This is my fault. I never should've told you that I was a firebender. I'm sure... I could've hidden it from you. We could've settled down together... we could've had something... we..." Zuko choked back a sob. "If you die here... if you die, then I will never be able to forgive myself." And then he let himself cry._

**A/N: Because Jet needed to survive somehow. I rewrote this scene a couple of times, because my mind was in "Disney mode" and wanted Jet to have been saved by true loves kiss... I didn't quite go with the idea, but I will refer to this moment again during the fic, most likely quite a way along.**

**Again, I'm sorry for the wait for this chapter.**

**Any comments or feedback are appreciated.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I haven't had any reviews since chapter two : I**

**I really don't want to sound like a bitch, but a number of you did say you would like to see a multi-chapter sequel. I don't even know if any of you who voted in the poll or requested through email are reading this! I know it may be slow at the moment, but in this chapter I am trying to speed things up between Jet and Zuko. It's not like they're going to just start banging each other after Jet finds out that the person he loved isn't who he said he is (not right away, anyway. There is a high possibility of smut in the next chapter) and Jet hates the Fire Nation too much to just forgive Zuko.**

**It's just nice to have feedback to know what people think.**

**Scenes lifted from "The Headband" with a few additions of my own.**

**Summary: "No matter how many deaths that I die, I will never forget. No matter how many lives that I live I will never forget. There's a fire inside this heart and a riot about to explode into flames." Sequel to 'A Beautiful Lie' in which Jet survived. Goes from the Fall of Ba Sing Se up until the end of Sozin's Comet, spoiler warning.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender**

**Hurricane**

**Chapter 4**

_What did he mean?_ Jet thought, sitting on the cold, grubby floor of the prison cell. He couldn't remember much of Lake Laogai at all – all he could remember was that he had been dying. The only thing he remembered waking up in the backroom of Pao's tea shop and being told that the Fire Nation had captured the city. He couldn't remember much from before it, because Sokka had reached the conclusion that he had been brainwashed, and then Katara had tried to repair his mind, and had succeeded in raising a few memories. His long term memory was still pretty much intact, allowing him to remember things like what had happened in the forest, though he couldn't remember much of his life in Ba Sing Se.

He only had vague memories of Zuko in Ba Sing Se – back then he had been Li. He had been trying his hardest to remember what it had been like – what _Li_ had been like, and what could have drawn him to the other male. He could admit that Zuko was attractive, but why hadn't he realised before? How had he even allowed himself to fall in love? As a child, he had promised that he would never fall in love. The people he loved always got hurt.

"I brought dinner for you."

Jet looked up to see a female prison guard standing on the other side of the bars. She crouched in front of the bars, holding the tray out to him.

"What makes you think I want to eat your food?" Jet snarled.

She snorted. "Oh, fine. I'll just take this to someone else – but you won't be able to escape if you don't keep your strength up."

"Why the hell would you be encouraging me to escape?" Jet asked, crawling over to the bars. "Surely you want to keep me in here."

"I don't know." She shrugged, passing the tray through the bars. "I was talking about you to another prisoner – he seems to think that you're important to someone. He says that I should make sure you eat."

"Who the hell told you that?" Jet asked. "No-one in this dump cares about me."

"Oh... General Iroh told me that he knew you."

Jet frowned. He didn't know anyone with the rank of General. In fact, he didn't even know anyone with a rank – besides himself, if that even counted. It wasn't like he had an official rank either. He had just been named Captain by a ragtag group of Earth Kingdom rebels because he had leadership potential.

"Well I don't know anyone called General Iroh." Jet shrugged, crawling over to the tray.

"He said you would say that."

"Oh, he did?"

"He told me to tell you that you would know him as 'Mushi'."

xXx

"Orange is such an awful colour." Mai sighed. She and Zuko were sitting on a small ridge on the side of the volcano, enjoying a sunset picnic. It was the only time together they had managed to get ever since the return to the Fire Nation – Zuko had been busy becoming reacquainted with his family and duties as a Prince, and Mai had been busy being hassled by Ty Lee and Azula about her newfound happiness.

Zuko chuckled. "You're so beautiful when you hate the world."

"I don't hate you." Mai smiled.

"I don't hate you too." Zuko grinned and kissed her. This was how he was supposed to feel. He was supposed to enjoy spending time with Mai, and he was supposed to love her.

So why did thoughts of Jet keep appearing in his mind?

"Ahem."

Zuko and Mai both broke apart, scowling at the interruption.

Azula was standing with her arms folded, her expression grim. "Zuko, could I have a word with you?"

"Can't you see we're busy?" Zuko scowled and returned to kissing his girlfriend.

Azula glared at the couple – usually her brother would do whatever she said. He had always been a pushover. "Oh Mai, Ty Lee needs help untangling her braid."

"Sounds pretty serious." Mai joked, standing up. She walked past Azula and shot a glare at the Princess's back. Whenever Azula wanted to speak to Zuko alone, it usually meant something bad was going to happen – bad for Zuko, anyway.

Azula waited until Mai had left before she started to speak. "So I hear you went to visit your 'uncle fatso' in the prison tower."

"That guard told you." Zuko growled, standing up. He balled his hands into fists, expecting some sort of violent confrontation from his younger sister.

"No, you did." Azula smirked. "Just now."

Zuko sat down with a sigh, drawing his knees up to his chest and resting his arms on them. "Okay, you caught me. What is it you _want_, Azula?" _She always wants something._

"Actually, nothing." She said, pursing her lips – she was slightly annoyed that her brother _always_ assumed that she had ulterior motives... even though he was _always_ right. "Believe it or not, I'm looking out for you. If people –" and by people, Zuko knew she meant their father. "– Find out that you've been to see uncle they'll think you're plotting with him. Just be careful, dum-dum."

Zuko managed to prevent a shudder at the childhood nickname – no, insult – bestowed on him by his sister. "Thanks Azula – I think."

"Oh, and you may want to stay away from your Earth Kingdom _friend_." Azula smirked. "If you're not careful, people may start to spread rumours about him and yourself – rumours I'm sure would catch unwanted attention, and we wouldn't want you to fall out of father's favour again, would we?"

_You're a bitch._ Zuko thought to himself. He would never say it to Azula's face, not when she was acting so _nice_ towards him. He wanted to avoid confrontation with his sister. Even though his father accepted him now, Azula was still the favourite. If Zuko did anything she didn't like, he would lose everything again. "Thanks, Azula."

"You're welcome." Azula said, flicking her hair. "Dinner will be ready soon."

"I was having dinner with Mai." Zuko gestured to the remains of the picnic. "But you sent her away."

"Did you really want her to hear our conversation?" Azula asked. "Please, Zuko." She rolled her eyes. "You really don't know how to deal with girls, do you? I doubt Mai would want to hear about rumours suggest things about you and that Earth Kingdom peasant."

xXx

"What the hell are you doing?" Azula demanded. "You're supposed to be trying to find out about his banishment! We need to find anything that can make sure Zuko falls out of father's favour! You're supposed to find out what happened in Ba Sing Se!"

Mai rolled her eyes. "Of course, he won't get suspicious _at all_ if I just start asking him questions about his 'boyfriend'. He only just got home, Azula. Give him time to settle in."

"I don't want him to settle in!" Azula snapped. "If he settles in it means there's less risk of him admitting anything! We have to get him now, while he's still unsure of everything – there's more chance of him slipping. He hasn't been home for three years – he doesn't know how to deal with being home again."

"If he settles in then he might be comfortable enough to talk about everything freely – he might jump before he's pushed."

"Oh, he's going to do that anyway." Azula smirked. "One thing I know about my brother is that he isn't very good at listening to people – even after my warnings he'll keep going to see uncle and his boyfriend."

"Why are you so certain they had something?"

"Didn't you see the peasant's reaction to Zuko?" Azula asked. "You don't get that angry without a reason."

xXx

"He's a traitor!" Jet snarled. "He's playing some sort of sick game – why would he want me to stay alive in this dump?"

"I don't know." The female prison guard confessed. "All he said was that you should be ready for your chance or something like that. He also said that when Prince Zuko comes to visit you shouldn't push him away – you should embrace the opportunity to appeal to his... his more caring side."

"What caring side?" Jet asked. "He's Fire Nation!"

The prison guard stood up, glaring at Jet. "And so am I. I didn't have to bring you any food, and I didn't have to tell you anything General Iroh said – but I did. I'm not mean and cruel and neither is everyone in the Fire Nation. I heard that you're a terrorist. Maybe you should look at yourself if you want to see cruel!"

"Leave him be, Ming." A calm voice said from behind her.

She whipped around and bowed. "Prince Zuko... I'm sorry. He was speaking of you in a dishonourable way."

"I wouldn't expect anything less." His lips twitched, threatening a smile. "You're dismissed – maybe you should go and make sure my uncle has enough tea."

"Of course, Prince Zuko." She hurriedly left the room, shooting a confused glance over her shoulder.

"Hello darling, how was your day?" Jet spat, picking a bowl of rice up off the tray that the prison guard – Ming – had left for him. "What is this? Do I have to eat with my hands or something? Do they want me to eat out of the bowl like a dog?"

"I'll get you some chopsticks."

"Don't you have servants to do that, _Prince_ Zuko?" Jet chuckled.

Zuko scoffed, pushing his hood back. "You think you're hilarious, don't you?" He shook his shaggy hair free, and although Jet would never admit it – he thought that Zuko's new hair suited him a lot better. The way it fell into his eyes was...

Jet snapped out of his daydream, coming up with a retort for the Prince. "I wouldn't go so far as hilarious, but –"

"I – I care about you!" Zuko blurted, closing his eyes so that he didn't have to see that hate on Jet's face. "You don't understand... but... I... it hurts so much, standing here and knowing how much you hate me. I don't know why I keep coming back – I think it's because I need to see that you don't want me anymore." He sat down against the wall, next to the bars of Jet's cell. "You were the only person who ever did want me – people would just look at me and see the scar. No-one in my family wants me. I'm sure my father isn't even happy I'm home – he doesn't seem to care either way."

"Why are you telling me this, Zuko?" Jet sighed. "I don't care how you feel. So what if I wanted you? That was before I knew who and what you were. That was when you were Li, and you were..." Jet closed his eyes, picturing the lean and scowling refugee he had met on the ferry. "You were perfect. I just looked at you and... and I just knew that I had to have you. You were so different to anyone I had ever met before – the way you carried yourself and how you interacted with the other refugees. It was obvious you didn't belong there, but you did belong there so much... Does that make sense?"

"No, not really."

"What I'm trying to say is..." Jet was having a hard time searching for words he didn't want to say. He didn't want to talk about feelings with Zuko. He wanted to punch the Prince in the face and tell him how much he had been hurt. "When I met you I was glad that you had found your way to me... I knew deep down that you didn't belong on a ferry full of refugees – that you were though through some sort of terrible circumstance – but when I met you it felt... it felt like it was supposed to be."

Zuko knelt down in front of the bars of the cell, and asked quietly; "Do you still feel like that?"

"I don't know." Jet placed the bowl down on the floor and crawled over to the bars. He knelt down opposite Zuko and gripped the bars, just underneath Zuko's hands. "What reasons do I have to still love you?"

"I'm still me." Zuko insisted, reaching through the bars. He grabbed the front of Jet's prison shirt and pulled the Freedom Fighter forwards. Jet whacked his forehead on the metal bars as Zuko crushed their mouths together, determined to show Jet how he felt.

Jet grabbed the material of Zuko's cloak and pushed him back, looking away. "Something's changed."

"Nothing's changed!" Zuko protested.

"Something has... there's someone else." Jet concluded.

Zuko opened his mouth to say something and closed it again, not sure what he _was_ going to say. There _was _someone else. He had Mai now, but she didn't mean as much to him and Jet did. Sure, he liked her and everything... but it was just... different.

"Can you just... can you just tell me if you really hate me?" Zuko pleaded.

"I don't know, Zuko." Jet said, getting up and walking over to the tray of food on the floor. He sat down and picked up the bowl again. "I want to say no, but I don't think I can. I'm just... confused at the moment."

Jet watched as Zuko pulled his hood back up and walked out of the room. He sighed and began to scoop up handfuls of rice, shovelling them into his mouth. He was too hungry to even care he had no chopsticks. He had just been trying to get at Zuko before.

There was a loud clanking noise of a metal door being slammed, and Jet heard hurried footsteps. Zuko appeared in the room, carrying a large ring full of keys. He jammed one of the keys into the lock on Jet's cell and yanked the door open. Before Jet could react, his bowl of rice had been knocked out of his hands and Zuko was straddling his lap, kissing him frantically.

"I love you." Zuko whispered, covering Jet's cheekbones in feather light kisses. "I love you so much it hurts –"

**Any comments or feedback are appreciated.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews! I'm incredibly grateful to know that people are enjoying this story.**

**Oh, my boys... why do you insist on breaking my heart? Like Sokka, my brain has a mind of it's own. I didn't even know when half of this chapter was written... I was just sitting in college typing, read back what I had written and it was most of this.**

**Summary: "No matter how many deaths that I die, I will never forget. No matter how many lives that I live I will never forget. There's a fire inside this heart and a riot about to explode into flames." Sequel to 'A Beautiful Lie' in which Jet survived. Goes from the Fall of Ba Sing Se up until the end of Sozin's Comet, spoiler warning.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender**

**Warning: Smut!**

**Hurricane**

**Chapter 5**

Jet grabbed the front of Zuko's cloak and pulled him closer. He wasn't really sure if he wanted this, but one thing he was sure about was that he _needed_ this. After everything that had happened, he knew that he still felt strongly about Zuko – he just wasn't sure whether he loved or hated the scarred teenager. He kissed Zuko back with a renewed passion, wanting to be lost in the moment forever.

Zuko's hands were sliding under the material of his prison clothes, familiarising himself with every line and curve and muscle of Jet's torso. He forgot everything at that moment – forgot about Mai, forgot about what his father would do to him if he ever found out about Jet, forgot what would happen if the Avatar had survived...

And then Jet was ripping his cloak off and throwing it across the cell because he _needed_ it so bad. Zuko helped the Freedom Fighter fumble with his prison tunic, trying to remove it as quickly as possible. When they managed to get Jet's prison tunic off, Jet pushed Zuko off him and pinned the other teenager to the floor, panting above him.

"This is a game, isn't it?" Jet asked, his eyes narrowing.

"What? No!" Zuko protested, struggling against Jet's grip. "I've risked my life coming here! If anyone ever found out about us I would be executed! Do you really think I would risk everything to spend a couple of hours _playing_ with you?"

Jet shook his head, sighing. "I don't know what you would and wouldn't do, Zuko. Last time I checked, you were an Earth Kingdom refugee and then suddenly you turned into the Prince of the Fire Nation. You deceived me once – how do I know that you won't do it again?"

"If I was toying with you would I willingly allow myself to be fucked by you?" Zuko asked. "I'm sure that if I only saw you as a plaything I would be the one pinning you to the ground, and I'm sure I would be forcing you to do what I wanted!"

Jet stood up and took a couple of steps away from the Prince laying on the floor. He turned to face him, spreading his arms wide. "Go on then."

"What?" Zuko asked, propping himself up on his elbows.

"Take what you want and leave – you can have whatever you want tonight." Jet said. "I don't want to see you anymore, Zuko. I can't. I just feel so... so angry at you. I'm angry at myself for falling in love with you – it never should've happened. You're a firebender – you're the Prince of the Fire Nation. I've _killed_ firebenders, Zuko. We're both on different sides in this war and nothing is going to change that. I love my country more than I love you, and I don't know what the hell you think – I never have done it seems."

Zuko was silent as he got to his feet, brushing his robes down. "You said I could have anything I wanted, didn't you?"

Jet nodded.

"Then give me tonight." Zuko said, undoing the sash that held his tunic closed. "Give me tonight to show you what you mean to me. Give me tonight to say goodbye."

"And then you'll leave me alone?" Jet asked, his eyes dropping with Zuko's tunic.

"Yes."

xXx

"Careful, Mai. The wind could change and you would be stuck showing emotion – is that fondness I see?"

Mai turned around and sighed with relief, a hand pressed against her chest to try and slow her heart beat. "Azula. What are you doing sneaking around at this late hour?"

"Oh, I'm not sneaking." Azula said, leaning against one of the columns in the doorway to the balcony. "You were too wrapped up in your thoughts to hear me coming. Why exactly are you standing on the balcony? It isn't exactly warm tonight."

"Like you said – I was thinking."

"About?"

"Why are you interrogating me?" Mai asked, walking past Azula into the guest room. Azula followed her, and she closed the shutters that led out to the balcony. "Last time I checked, my thoughts were my own."

"Are you supposed to be seeing Zuko tonight?"

"I was." Mai said, sitting down in a small wooden chair in the corner of the room. "He's probably been delayed doing whatever it is he does... he has resumed his duties as the Prince. I'm sure he'll be here soon."

"If his duties include visiting the prison..." Azula flicked her hair. "He was spotted by several of the guards heading towards the prison tower despite all of my warnings. Oh well, looks like he isn't very smart at all... He might fall from father's favour sooner than I thought."

"What makes you think he's going to visit the rebel?" Mai asked. "He might just be going to see his uncle – he was close to him. He seems pretty upset that Iroh betrayed him in the Earth Kingdom."

"Oh, come on Mai." Azula rolled her eyes. "Are you really that naive? He has feelings for this man and he's obviously going to act on them – stop being in denial about Zuko. As far as he's concerned, you're probably just a cover up. I doubt he feels anything for you at all."

Mai couldn't think of anything else to say, other than: "I'll bear that in mind."

xXx

Zuko squirmed as one of Jet's cold hands reached below the waistband of his trousers, the other supporting him as he propped himself up on his side, watching the expression on Zuko's face shift between pleasure, need, want and _lust_. He could remember a time when he had enjoyed watching Zuko and had wanted to make the scarred teenager feel this torrent of emotions, but now it was painful. It was painful to watch the man who should've been his forever laying on the floor of his prison cell – doing this for him – because he was so desperate for Jet not to hate him.

Zuko pulled Jet down for a hungry kiss, biting down on the other's bottom lip to try and earn a response from the Freedom Fighter – any response. He just wanted Jet to acknowledge what was happening. He grabbed a fistful of Jet's hair as the other pulled away.

"Hey." Zuko said softly. "I'm right here. Tonight – tonight forget who I am. Imagine we're back in Ba Sing Se. Tonight I'm Li."

Jet sighed and sat up. "We're too old to play pretend, Zuko."

"Then tell me how you feel." Zuko said fiercely, also sitting up. "You can't hide it from me, Jet. I know you too well."

"We only knew each other for a few days, Zuko!" Jet hissed, standing up. "I don't know how I feel – those few days felt like forever when we were in Ba Sing Se and now... now it just feels like it could've been five minutes, or even a dream!" Jet turned away and punched the wall, leaning against it.

"Jet, I –"

Jet turned to face him, and the next thing Zuko knew was that he was slammed against the wall. "Was it a dream?"

"What?" Zuko asked, feeling Jet's hand tighten around his throat. This was not good. He couldn't shout for the guards because they would find the compromising position that he and Jet were in, and if he didn't shout for the guards there was the possibility that when they came to give Jet breakfast the next morning they would find the Prince of the Fire Nation lying dead on the floor.

"Us... did I really fall in love with the Prince of the Fire Nation?" Jet asked quietly. His eyes met Zuko's, and it was the first time Zuko had seen the rebel with a soft expression since he had been 'Li'. "Did the Prince of the Fire Nation really fall in love with me?"

Keeping their gazes locked, Zuko slowly reached up and touched the hand that was around his neck. He carefully peeled Jet's fingers away one at a time and then lifted Jet's hand to his lips. He placed a soft kiss to the palm of Jet's hand and the Freedom Fighter's eyes fluttered closed. Zuko kissed the scarred tips of Jet's fingers, each one a silent apology for everything the Fire Nation had done to him – a silent apology for everything _he_ had done to Jet.

Jet's other hand cupped Zuko's jaw and he pulled his hand from Zuko's grasp, brushing the scarred boy's dark hair out of his eyes. He slowly came forwards and pressed his lips to Zuko's, feeling Zuko instantly relax, his eyes sliding shut as he fisted his hand into Jet's hair, opening his mouth to allow Jet's tongue to wander. Jet pushed Zuko back against the wall and skimmed his hands over Zuko's torso, hearing the shorter boy's breathing hitch as he pressed himself against the Freedom Fighter.

Jet slid his thigh between Zuko's legs and heard the Prince whimper at the pressure on his arousal. He smirked as he pulled away, his hands travelling to the already loose drawstrings on Zuko's trousers.

"Jet... please..."

Jet placed a finger to Zuko's lips as he undid the knot with one hand and pushed the red silk to the ground, leaving the Prince in just his underwear. He felt Zuko's hands rest on his hips and then travel to the waistband of his prison regulation trousers, fumbling with the drawstrings as he desperately sought skin-to-skin contact. Jet chuckled to himself as he felt Zuko press even closer to him, his breathing becoming more ragged as Jet's talented hands dropped his underwear to the floor.

"You seem to be struggling with that." Jet whispered, reaching down and taking hold of Zuko's hands. "Do you want me to do it?"

"No." Zuko snarled breathlessly.

"I think you've managed to tighten the knot instead of loosening it." Jet chuckled, pushing Zuko's hands away. "Just let me do it, okay?"

Zuko watched as Jet managed to undo the knot on his trousers – something that the Prince was sure he would've been able to do eventually – and dropped them to the floor, stepping out of them. The Prince raised an eyebrow.

"What?" Jet asked. "It's not like they give you prison regulation underwear."

"I could probably get you some." Zuko said as Jet stepped closer, holding Zuko in his arms again. "I've got most of the guards here under my thumb... they all think I'm like Azula and I'll do something horrible to them if they don't listen to me."

"Would you?"

"No." Zuko grimaced. "I'm nothing like Azula."

"She gives me the creeps." Jet confessed. "She's your sister, isn't she? She came to see me once and... well... looking into her eyes was like nothing I had ever seen before. There was something there, but I can't name it... I don't think I want to."

"I won't ever let her do anything to you." Zuko said.

"I know." Jet kissed him again, gently pressing Zuko's shoulders back against the wall. He pulled away and then pressed the tips of his fingers against the Prince's lips. Zuko took the digits into his mouth, sucking on them lightly.

The Prince was trembling – he wasn't sure whether it was anticipation or the fear that they would be caught and both of them would be executed together. If they were caught, Zuko would bring even greater dishonour on his father than when he had spoken out of turn in the war room, and it was likely that the Fire Nation would remove all record of him ever existing. He would be someone spoken about in whispers in the dark, along with horror stories and opposition to his father. He felt Jet's nimble fingers at the base of his spine and he knew that there would be no limits that night.

He didn't want there to be any limits.

Jet had said that he never wanted to see him again and he didn't know how serious the Freedom Fighter was, or whether he had changed his mind now. He just had now to show Jet how he felt and how much he _wanted_ the rebel. If the war ended during their lifetime, Zuko was prepared to drop _everything_ and leave with Jet.

But that would never happen.

He would have to stay and rebuild the Fire Nation. It would be his responsibility.

Zuko grunted and arched as Jet inserted a saliva soaked digit into his entrance, nipping at the firebender's collarbone. "Jet... please... come on... I need you..."

"Hey, take it slow." Jet smiled at Zuko and kissed him on the forehead. "I don't want to hurt you."

Zuko bucked against Jet, determined to get the other to work at the pace he wanted him to. Jet inserted a second finger and began to scissor his fingers, ensuring that Zuko would be stretched. He managed to hit the spot that made Zuko writhe and claw at Jet's shoulders. Jet chuckled, not caring about the scratch marks that would be visible to anyone who looked at his shoulders, and inserted a third digit into Zuko.

"Jet..."

"I know." Jet murmured. "I know... soon... just hang on." He withdrew his fingers and slid his hands down the backs of Zuko's thighs. He hoisted the scarred boy up, sandwiching Zuko between his body and the wall. Zuko wrapped his legs around Jet's waist and clutched at Jet's shoulders as the Freedom Fighter lined himself up and slowly pushed in. "Fuck... Zuko... you're so... hng... _tight_."

He thrusted up into the firebender and groaned against Zuko's neck, breathing in his scent. Jet gripped onto Zuko's hips and thrusted up into him again, feeling Zuko's hands entangle in his hair and _pull hard_. His grip tightened on Zuko's hips and he closed his eyes. He let himself remember Ba Sing Se. He let himself remember everything he had felt for Li – they were both the same person, and Jet could see that now.

Zuko threw his head back against the wall, groaning loudly, his chest heaving with every harsh breath he took. He took his own arousal in one hand, stroking in time with Jet's thrusts.

Jet released with one final thrust, groaning against Zuko's jaw. Zuko came a few moments after, covering Jet's stomach with his climax.

They stayed in that position for a few moments, waiting for their breathing to return to normal before Jet lowered Zuko to the floor and kissed him. He gathered up Zuko's clothes and gave them to the Prince of the Fire Nation before picking up his own and using them to wipe himself down.

"Jet..."

The Freedom Fighter turned around to face him as he finished pulling on his cloak. "Yes?"

"Is this it?" Zuko asked. "Before you said that you never wanted to see me again after tonight."

"I don't know." Jet confessed. "I... I need time, Zuko."

"I'll come and see you next time I can get away." Zuko said, heading towards the cell door. "I promise."

"I'll be waiting."

xXx

When Mai opened the door, she wasn't surprised to see it was Zuko. "You were supposed to be here two hours ago."

"I'm sorry, I just got caught up with something..." Zuko said. "I didn't mean to make you wait."

"It's fine." Mai said in a tone that would suggest that it was anything but fine. That was one thing that Zuko hated about her – she was impossible to read.

Zuko sighed. "Can I make it up to you?"

"Tomorrow. I'm tired."

"I'll come for you at nine."

Mai thought for a moment and then allowed herself to show a small smile. "I'll be waiting."

Zuko felt guilt wash over him, as her words were exactly the same as what Jet had said to him, just before he had left the prison. _What the hell am I doing?_

**A/N: Another chapter down guys!**

**The next chapter is probably going to jump to around the time of the Day of Black Sun, maybe a bit beforehand or during. I'm still trying to finalise my plan for that part. Though I have coursework deadlines rapidly approaching, it is likely that I will finish the next chapter before my coursework, as I cannot prioritise to save my life.**

**Any comments or feedback are appreciated!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I apologise if this chapter is late... I've had coursework deadlines and other commitments. It's also unbeta'd for now, because my sister's out and I just wanted it uploaded. I've proof read it myself, but I've probably missed some things.**

**Thank you to the few people who have reviewed – you're the ones I'm writing this story for. This chapter happens a few hours before the solar eclipse, when the Fire Nation are still preparing their final defences against the invasion force.**

**Oh, and... erm... I got a review from an anon who said that their name was "NotCandyCarson ()". I'm not sure what you meant by your review. I think you may have made a couple of mistakes in your review, as the content made little sense to me in some places. Just putting it here because there isn't any other way for me to get a message to you, on the off chance that you'll actually read this.**

**Anyway, I've rambled enough so onwards to the chapter!**

**Summary: "No matter how many deaths that I die, I will never forget. No matter how many lives that I live I will never forget. There's a fire inside this heart and a riot about to explode into flames." Sequel to 'A Beautiful Lie' in which Jet survived. Goes from the Fall of Ba Sing Se up until the end of Sozin's Comet, spoiler warning.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender**

**Hurricane**

**Chapter 6**

**_A few hours before the invasion._**

There had been plenty of time for him to make his decision, and plenty of events that had pushed him in the right direction – Ember Island had been one of those events, another had been when his uncle had sent him the letter which had prompted him to sneak into the Dragon Bone Catacomb and read about the demise of Avatar Roku. Perhaps the event that had tipped him over the edge was that he had _betrayed_ Jet. He could see the Freedom Fighter's side of the story, and he wanted to do something to win him back.

At that moment, he was trying to work out how best to say goodbye.

"Are you packed?" Zuko asked, leaning in the doorway to Mai's room.

"Just about." Mai said, folding up a silk robe and placing it in one of the backs lined up against the wall of the room. "I still can't believe that your father ordered evacuation of the whole city. He's really scared of this invasion, isn't he?"

"I don't think he's scared of the invasion." Zuko said. "I think he's scared of the fact that it's today – that the Earth Kingdom found out about the eclipse and he has no idea how. I think he knows now that it's not ragtag peasants and kids brought up in the dirt that he's fighting against." _Not all of them are people like Jet._

"You're talking about your father like this is his battle." Mai observed. "You're talking about him like you disagree with his decision."

"You asked me if he was scared." Zuko countered. "I was just giving you an answer. What did you want me to say, Mai? Do you want me to say that my father doesn't fear anything? Do you want me to say that he's evacuating the city as a joke? He's not going to face the Avatar without his firebending. He's going to sit in his bunker and wait for the Avatar to find him. He and Azula have set a trap."

"What about you?" Mai asked. "Are you part of the trap?"

"No." Zuko replied. "I'm going to fight." _I'm going to fight my father._

"You'll be careful, won't you?"

"That sounds like you care." Zuko chuckled. He leant down and kissed her on the forehead. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. I have to go to a war meeting. I'll see you soon."

xXx

"Wow... this looks worse than breakfast was." Jet said, watching as Ming pushed a tray of food through the bars of his cell.

"That's because it's the leftovers from breakfast." Ming said. "I'd savour it if I were you – it could be your last meal."

"I savour _every_ meal as though it's my last." Jet scowled. "And I always have done. When I was living in the forest we never knew where our next meal was coming from, especially with soldiers after us all of the time."

"No – this really might be your last meal." Ming said. "Fire Lord Ozai hasn't extended any extra protection to the prison during the invasion."

"Why would he?" Jet asked. "All that he'll lose is a bunch of his enemies. He's probably hoping that this place is attacked."

"General Iroh told me that it was best I wasn't here this afternoon." Ming said. She reached into the pouch on her belt and pulled out a small slip of folded paper. "He also told me to give this to you. I haven't looked at it – I don't want to know what it says, because I know it's not going to be anything I want to see written about my nation."

"Thank you." Jet said, taking the paper from her. "This means a lot to me. I never expected anyone in the Fire Nation to help me."

"I'm only helping you because General Iroh asked me to." Ming said. "I didn't do it because I owe you anything or because I like you, but he seems to think that you can do something about this and I don't want to know what it is."

"I never thought I would owe anyone in the Fire Nation."

"I don't want you to owe me anything." Ming said and walked away.

Once she was gone, Jet unfolded the piece of paper. He saw the words carefully written and he closed his eyes, screwing up the paper and holding it to his chest.

Look after my nephew because I can't.

xXx

"Prince Zuko," Ozai said, turning to face his son. "Where will you be during the invasion?"

"Fighting." Zuko said, looking up at his father. "I'll be fighting against the enemy – if they don't see anyone important, they'll immediately guess that this is a trap. I'll be on the front line to draw their fire."

"No. I won't let my only son be used as a decoy." Ozai said. "You will be in the bunker with Azula and myself. I expect you to come to my aid if I am attacked."

_I will be the one attacking you._ Zuko thought to himself as the council chamber was dismissed.

Zuko went straight to his room where he stripped off the heavy armour, knowing that this was likely to be the last time he ever wore it. He walked over to the large writing desk, where there was paper and a small amount of ink – just enough to write a goodbye letter to Mai. Saying the words to her face would be too painful, and he was sure he wouldn't be able to go through with it. He would place the goodbye in her empty room in the palace, so she could find it when the people were allowed back into the city – it was obvious that the Avatar wasn't going to win.

xXx

Jet looked up as Zuko knelt down in front of his cell, and he opened his mouth to tell the Prince that he wasn't supposed to be there. He hadn't seen Zuko since that night they had shared because he had told him he didn't want to, and because the other teen had stayed away he thought Zuko had finally got the message.

"I know you said you never wanted to see me again, but I came to say goodbye." Zuko said, lifting his gaze to meet Jet's. "I owe you that much."

"Goodbye?" Jet asked. "I thought we already said goodbye, all those weeks ago when we... y'know..."

"We did..." Zuko said, sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of the cell. "But I need to say it again. I need to tell you that I've changed – _really_ changed." He smiled nostalgically and flicked his hair out of his eyes, and for a moment Jet wanted to throw his arms around him and call him _Li_. "I'm going to join the Avatar and I'm going to fight against my father. I'm going to fight _against _the Fire Nation."

"Does your father know about this crazy plan?"

"I'm going to tell him."

Jet walked over to the bars and crouched in front of Zuko. "He's going to kill you."

"There's an eclipse. He won't be able to bend."

"And neither will you." Jet hissed. "Zuko, don't do this. I don't want him to kill you. I know that I've told you we can't be together, and at this moment in time I'm not sure whether I love you or hate you for only deciding to fight against the Fire Nation _now_ but I don't want you to die."

"I'm not going to die." Zuko said. "I'm going to stand up to him and then I'll leave – I'll walk out."

"What if you say something about us?" Jet asked. "You were so scared when we started our relationship in Ba Sing Se... you were so scared of anyone finding out. Aren't you scared of what your father will do to you if he finds out?"

"No."

"Why the hell not?"

"Because I know my destiny." Zuko said. "I'm going to join the Avatar and fight against my father – I'm going to make everything alright. I'm going to make _us_ alright."

"Just because you think you _know_ your destiny it doesn't mean you do." Jet said. "I've never really believed in anything, but who's to say that it hasn't been decided that you're going to die today, when you face your father?"

"I can face him, Jet." Zuko said, dropping his gaze. "This won't be like the last time."

Jet wondered what the other teenager meant – when had he ever gone up against his father before?

And then his eyes widened when he remembered Zuko's scar, and how defensive the Prince was about it, how he had eventually told Jet who had done it. "You mean your scar, don't you?"

"I'm not going to let him do anything like this to me ever again, Jet. I'm not going to let him hurt anyone." Zuko said, his gaze flicking upwards to meet Jet's eyes. "He... he _did this_ to me when I was a child... when I tried to keep Fire Nation soldiers alive, something he should've been doing as his _job_ and he _burnt_ me."

Jet reached through the bars and cupped Zuko's face. His cheeks were damp with tears he wished were invisible. "You shouldn't have to face him alone."

"No-one else will go with me." Zuko said, shaking his head. "I'm betraying my whole country. None of them would be willing to turn their backs on the Fire Nation for me – I've been disgraced before."

"Who says it would be someone from the Fire Nation?" Jet asked. "Get me out of this cell, Zuko. Get me out of here and I'll follow you anywhere."

"I... I can't take you with me." Zuko protested. "You'll be killed... you can't fight my father. It's my battle."

"I'll fight your father _with_ you because he's the Fire Lord and he stole everything from me – this war stole everything from me." Jet said fiercely as he reached through the bars and grabbed the front of Zuko's tunic. "I may as well give it my life too. I don't care how many guards we'll have to fight past, and I don't care if your father gets his bending back because the eclipse ends – if that's the case then we'll go down in flames. We'll go down together."

"I can't ask you to do that for me."

"You haven't asked." Jet said. "I volunteered because I sure as hell am not going to let you die, Zuko. I've always lost everyone I've ever cared about. I'm not going to let that happen again."

Zuko gripped onto Jet's arm. "You have no idea how much that means to me."

"I think I have a pretty good idea. Now, get me out of here so we can go and kick some ass and have some fun before your father inevitably orders to have both of us killed." Jet grinned, and Zuko realised how good it was to see Jet being _Jet_ again. He had missed the roguish charm and the way Jet saw potentially going to their deaths as _having fun_.

**A/N: I will try to get a new chapter out as soon as possible, and that will cover the events of the Day of Black Sun concerning Jet and Zuko.**

**Any comments and feedback are majorly appreciated. I just want to know what people think of my story. Is that a crime?**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: So much wonderful praise!**

**Scenes lifted from "The Day of Black Sun Part 2: The Eclipse", may have some dialogue changes. Sorry that this chapter is _very_ canon-based, but I am trying to stick to the canon as much as possible, and Zuko's confrontation with Ozai is regarded _very_ important by me, also because I have added his feelings about Jet, and how Jet has influenced his decision. My beta (sister) is away at the moment, so I have beta'd this myself. I apologise for any mistakes that I haven't spotted.**

**Summary: "No matter how many deaths that I die, I will never forget. No matter how many lives that I live I will never forget. There's a fire inside this heart and a riot about to explode into flames." Sequel to 'A Beautiful Lie' in which Jet survived. Goes from the Fall of Ba Sing Se up until the end of Sozin's Comet, spoiler warning.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender**

**Hurricane**

**Chapter 7**

**_The Day of Black Sun_**

Zuko pressed himself flat against the wall as a group of Fire Nation soldiers ran past, yelling about reinforcing the palace defences. Jet was crouched down next to him, leaning forwards so that he could see what was happening around the corner.

It was amazing that they had managed to get as far as the entrance to the Fire Lord's bunker without being spotted. Their plan was to get to the guard room so that Jet could change out of his prison uniform and get some weapons. They had searched for Jet's hook swords in the prison guard room, but there was no sign of them. The Freedom Fighter had tried not to show his disappointment, but Zuko could see through him. Those swords were a part of his identity – he had been using them for years. The only way he thought that he would ever lose his swords was because he had been _killed_.

Capture had never been an option before.

"It's clear." Jet whispered.

Zuko stepped around the corner, taking up a firebending stance just in case there were still any Fire Nation soldiers hanging around. Jet was covering his back, making sure no-one could sneak up on them.

"The guard room isn't too far." Zuko muttered under his breath. "When we get there I'll stand guard whilst you grab a disguise."

"Maybe you should grab some armour too." Jet said. "Just in case."

"I'm not planning on staying long."

"I still think you should."

"Jet, I'll be fine." Zuko insisted.

They approached the guard room and Zuko ran over to the door. He pulled the heavy slab of metal open and Jet ran into the guard room, scanning the shelves for anything worth taking.

"I don't know if I'll be able to fight very well with this." Jet said, lifting a long, straight sword from a bracket on the wall. "I've been using hooks since I was – I don't even know how old I was."

"It's going to be fine." Zuko reassured him. He grabbed Jet's arm and the Freedom Fighter looked at him. "We'll get out of this."

"Are you sure?" Jet asked.

"Yes." Zuko insisted and pressed his lips to Jet's. "I'll wait outside." _I'm sorry._

xXx

Jet stepped out of the guard room and looked around – Zuko was nowhere in sight. The corridor was completely empty.

"Son of a bitch." Jet grumbled, heading off down the corridor. He had known that Zuko didn't want him to get hurt, but he hadn't expected the Prince to ditch him – now he just had to wander around the bunker and hope that he found him before he was fried by his father or something. "I'm going to kill him if anything happens to him..."

xXx

Zuko sprinted down the corridor, hoping that Jet wouldn't be able to catch up with him. He knew what his father capable of and he didn't want anything to happen to the Freedom Fighter. He hoped that Jet would see this as a sign and _leave_. He hoped that Jet would find his way to the harbour – hell, he was probably friends with some of the people in involved in the invasion, so hopefully he would join them and _get the hell out of the Fire Nation_.

Judging by the amount of time that had passed, the Avatar had probably fallen into Azula's trap and the eclipse was probably about to start. Zuko knew that if there were any gods watching over the Fire Nation, then he would be struck by lightning for betraying his country – for hoping that the Avatar was going to win.

Who needed gods with Ozai as the Fire Lord?

Zuko was sure that he was going to be shot full of lightning by his father for his defiance. He was trying to stay calm and remember everything that his uncle had ever taught him – trying to remember all of the firebending techniques he had been taught – trying to remember how to redirect lightning.

That was the skill that was going to save his life.

He stopped at the door to the room where his father would be waiting out the attack, probably surrounded by guards.

It would be suicide.

"I'm ready to face you."

He slid the reinforced door to the room open. His father was sitting at the back of the room with a line of Royal Guards in front of him. He looked up from his cup of tea as Zuko stepped into the room.

"Prince Zuko, what are you doing here?" Ozai asked.

Zuko was silent, willing himself to have the strength to face this man – the man who had done nothing but abuse him and put him down for the whole of his life.

"Why are you here?" Ozai demanded.

Zuko balled his hands into fists. "I'm here to tell the truth."

"Telling the truth during the middle of an eclipse." Ozai mused. He waved his hand, dismissing the Royal Guards. He wanted to see what his son had to say, and if it was what he thought Zuko was going to say... well, it was probably better that there were no witnesses. "This should be interesting."

Zuko waited until all of the guards were gone before he started to speak. "First of all, in Ba Sing Se it was Azula who took down the Avatar, not me."

"Why would she lie to me about that?"

"Because the Avatar is not dead." Zuko declared. _I sure as hell hope I'm right._ "He survived."

"What?" Ozai asked in outrage.

"In fact, he probably is leading this invasion. He could be on us, right now."

"Get out!" Ozai got to his feet, pointing to the door. He was just – he was beyond _mad_. How did Zuko know this? Did the Prince have no love for his country? Had had betrayed them all? "Get out of my sight right now if you know what's good for you!"

"That's another thing – I'm not taking orders from you anymore."

"You will obey me, or this defiant breath will be your last!" Ozai declared, stepping down from his throne.

Zuko unsheathed his broadswords and held them in front of him, showing his father that he had the advantage. Even though there was an eclipse, he was still armed. For the first time in his life, Ozai actually considered his son to be a _threat_.

"Think again!" Zuko snapped. "I am going to speak my mind, and you are going to listen!"

Ozai frowned and sat back down in his throne, wondering if his son would be here for the duration of the eclipse – if he was, then he was certainly going to teach Zuko a lesson when the sun came back out.

xXx

_Where the hell did he go?_ Jet thought, almost completely sure that he had gone in a circle whilst searching for Zuko. He didn't understand how it was possible for the Prince to just suddenly _disappear_. He was waiting to turn a corner and just run into Zuko, because – in all honesty – the Prince wasn't a master of stealth as far as Jet knew.

Jet shrank back against the rock wall, hiding in the shadows as a group of soldiers dashed past him. He wasn't going to take any chances with anyone realising that he was in fact an Earth Kingdom prisoner, or anyone thinking that he was a Fire Nation soldier and sending him out to the front line. The most important thing was to get through the bunker undetected and find Zuko before he did something crazy.

He understood that Zuko probably left him behind to make sure that he was safe, but he was annoyed that Zuko seemed to think that he wouldn't be able to hold his own. He had grown up fighting against the Fire Nation. He had learnt a thing or two about weak spots in firebender's stances and how to beat them, but Zuko treated him like he didn't know anything. Besides, the eclipse meant that the firebenders couldn't use their bending. How dangerous could facing the Fire Lord really be?

xXx

"For so long, all I wanted was you to love me – to accept me." Zuko said, shaking his head. "I thought it was my honour that I wanted, but really I was just trying to please you. _You_. My own father, who banished me just for _talking out of turn_." Zuko pointed one of his swords at his father, his expression steely. "My father, who challenged me – a thirteen year old boy – to an Agni Kai. How can you possibly justify a duel with a child?"

"It was to teach you respect." Ozai hissed.

"It was cruel!" Zuko protested. "And it was wrong!"

"Then you have learned nothing." Ozai said. He was disappointed – he had never really cared for his son, but after the fall of Ba Sing Se he thought that Zuko had become someone who he could accept being his son, but it seemed as though he was wrong.

"I've learnt everything, and I had to learn it all on my own!" Zuko insisted. "Growing up, we were taught that the Fire Nation was the greatest civilisation in history and _somehow_ the war was our way of sharing our greatness with the rest of the world." He took a moment to compose himself. He wanted to show his father the man he was turning into – he wasn't going to be like his father. He wasn't going to explode over this when there was an easier way of dealing the situation. "What an amazing lie that was. The people of the world are terrified by the Fire Nation. They don't see our greatness!" He scoffed, feeling his anger rising again. "They hate us, and we deserve it! We've created an era of fear in the world, and if we don't want the world to destroy itself we need to replace it with an era of peace and kindness."

Ozai _laughed_. He couldn't believe that he was listening to this – a member of his own family wanting _peace_. He had always been right. Zuko was pathetic, just like his mother had been. Just like his brother was. "Your uncle hasn't gotten to you, hasn't he?"

"Yes, he has." Zuko smiled. "After I leave here today, I'm going to free Uncle Iroh from his prison and I'm going to beg for his forgiveness. He's the one who has been a real father to me." He hadn't freed Iroh when he had sprung Jet from his cell because he was scared of how his uncle was going to react, and he didn't want his uncle to talk him out of confronting his father. Iroh would want him to run, to make sure he survived.

"That's just beautiful." Ozai chuckled. "Maybe he can pass down to you the ways of tea and failure."

"But I've come to an even more important decision." He paused, thinking about everyone who had helped him make the decision – his uncle's subtle pushed in the right direction, and how meeting Jet had changed his perspective on the world and his own life so significantly. "I'm going to join the Avatar, and I'm going to help him defeat you."

"Really." Ozai said, smirking. "Since you're a full blown traitor now and you want me gone, why wait? I'm powerless and you've got your swords. Why don't you just do it now?"

"Because I know my own destiny." Zuko said quietly. "Taking you down is the Avatar's." He sheathed his swords, knowing that he wouldn't need them. This confrontation was over. "Goodbye." He turned around and walked away, not wanting anything else to do with the man sitting in the throne – he was disgusted to be his son.

Ozai stood up, and realised that he had never been angrier at his son. "Coward! You think you're brave enough to face me, but you'll only do it during an eclipse! If you have any courage, you'll stick around until the sun comes out." Ozai smiled, knowing how he could make Zuko stay. "Don't you want to know what happened to your mother?"

Zuko stopped. He was almost at the door and it would be so easy to leave – so easy to walk out of the bunker and find Jet.

But he had loved his mother.

It would be harder to stay and listen to his father talk about her, but he wanted to know. He wanted to know why she had left all those years ago, what she had done that made her leave. He was scared that he was going to find out some sort of dark secret that she had wanted to keep hidden, and that he would never be able to remember her in the same way. He was scared that his father was going to destroy the remaining memories of the woman who raised him.

He turned around, facing Ozai. "What happened that night?"

"My father, Fire Lord Azulon, had commanded me to do the unthinkable to you – my own son." Ozai said. "And I was going to do it. Your mother found out and swore that she would protect you at any cost. She knew that I wanted the throne, and she proposed a plan – a plan in which I would become Fire Lord and your life would be spared."

Zuko couldn't speak – he didn't know what to say. He had known that his father was power hungry, but he didn't know the extent to which his mother had gone to all for him.

"Your mother did vicious, treasonous things that night." Ozai continued. "She knew the consequences and she accepted them. For her treason, she was banished."

Zuko could've sworn he felt his heart _stop_ as the tears welled in his eyes. "So she's alive." He couldn't believe it – after all this time, his mother was _alive_. He would be able to find her. She had sacrificed herself to save him, and now he would be able to _save her_. He would repay her by making sure that the Avatar defeated his father. _Maybe she'll even understand how I feel about Jet._

"Perhaps." Ozai said. The eclipse was nearing its end – he could feel it. "Now I realise that banishment is far too merciful a penalty for treason. Your penalty will be _far_ steeper."

There.

The sun was back.

Ozai quickly stepped forwards, creating lightning – the 'cold blooded fire' from his fingertips, firing it at his son. _How true it is_. He thought, musing on the nickname that had been given to the power. Ozai's eyes widened with shock and _rage_ as Zuko _caught_ the lightning. The Prince skidded backwards due to the sheer force of the attack, but he thrusted one of his arms forwards, firing the lightning _back at Ozai._

xXx

Jet turned the corner and found himself face-to-face with Zuko.

"Jet, we have to go!" Zuko snarled, grabbing Jet's arm as he began to run again. "There's no time to explain, but we have to get out of here before my father sends soldiers after me!"

"Why did you confront him alone?" Jet demanded, easily matching Zuko's fast pace. "You told me that you were scared to! I was supposed to be there to protect you, but you left me in the guard room! I've been looking for you for ages!"

"Well, I saw him alone." Zuko said. "And he tried to kill me."

"That's why I was supposed to go with you."

"I couldn't risk you being hurt – or even killed!"

"So you left me to wander around a secret Fire Nation bunker by myself?" Jet asked and rolled his eyes. "Nice one, Zuko."

"I... didn't exactly think that through before, but it doesn't matter now!" Zuko scowled. "We have to get out of here – both of us. If we get down to the airship base there should be a War Balloon or something we can use to escape."

"And if there isn't a War Balloon?" Jet asked, having a feeling that he already knew what the answer was going to be.

"Then all of this will have been for nothing."

**A/N: Again, I apologise for most of this chapter being the canon from the episode. I'm not sure if it's bothered anyone, but if it has... then I am sorry. Obviously, the next chapter will be steering slightly away from the canon, seeing as Jet is alive. I'm not sure when it will be up, but I will be aiming for as soon as possible.**

**Any comments or feedback are appreciated.**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Thank for you all of the reviews and favourites! *gives cyber cookies to all***

**This chapter took me a while to write, as I was trying to work out how to fit Jet into all of this... I think I've managed to do it alright. It was going to be up sooner, but I kept having the "Error Type 2"**

**Summary: "No matter how many deaths that I die, I will never forget. No matter how many lives that I live I will never forget. There's a fire inside this heart and a riot about to explode into flames." Sequel to 'A Beautiful Lie' in which Jet survived. Goes from the Fall of Ba Sing Se up until the end of Sozin's Comet, spoiler warning.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender**

**Hurricane**

**Chapter 8**

The airship base was on a plateau on the far side of the volcano. On a normal day, there were very few soldiers on duty. However, due to the eclipse and the fact that airpower was the Fire Nation's main source of power there were guards _everywhere_.

"So, what's the plan?" Jet whispered. "We charge in, you shoot some fire and I just cut down whoever stands in our way?"

"If that's how you carried out all of your attacks on the Fire Nation in the forest then I have no idea how you're still alive." Zuko muttered, watching the guards, trying to track their movements and work out when it would be a good time for himself and Jet to commandeer a war balloon. They were both hiding behind a large boulder on a scree slope, which was near the prison where Jet had been held. After going to the prison and discovering that his uncle had already escaped, Zuko had decided that it was time for him and Jet to do the same. "We have to be careful – the eclipse is over so the firebenders have their power back."

"Zuko?"

"What?"

"Do airships sound like _this_ when they're about to take off?" Jet asked, pointing upwards as though he was pointing at the sound.

Zuko's eyes widened. "Yes, they do." He peered around the rock they were hiding behind, and looked back at Jet. "We have to go and we have to be fast."

"Surely they're not sending the whole fleet up in on go..."

"No, but they'll be using the airships for bombing raids." Zuko said, checking to see where the guards were. "If we don't get out of here fast, there won't be an Avatar for us to join."

Jet pushed Zuko out of the way and took a look. "Right – it looks as though there's a gap when the guards switch sides – the ones from the back of the airfield come to the front and the ones from the front go to the back. If we can get to down to the bottom of this slope and find something else to hide behind, then we might be able to make it."

"Any ideas?" Zuko asked.

"There's a rock at the bottom of the slope, so we could probably get there without being spotted." Jet shrugged. "It would be easier to do this if there more trees. Trees are easy to hide in and around."

"Trees on an airfield? That would've been great." Zuko rolled his eyes. "I'll go first. Wait for my signal."

"What's it gonna be?" Jet asked, grinning. "Are you gonna blow me a kiss?"

"Jet – can we save this for later, when we both know that we're going to survive this?"

"Fine." Jet rolled his eyes. "But this might be the last chance you ever get to tell me how you feel."

"Jet, you know how I feel."

"I know. I just like you saying it." Jet smirked. "Go."

Zuko nodded and dashed down the slope, skidding behind the boulder at the bottom. On his journey down he had disturbed some of the rocks on the slope, making them tumble down. Some of the guards looked up at each other.

"What was that?" One of the soldiers asked.

"I don't know... check it out." Another answered.

Zuko crouched as low as he could behind the boulder, praying to any Gods that did or didn't exist that he wouldn't be found. He needed this plan to work out. He needed to get out of the Fire Nation and help the Avatar defeat his father. He _needed_ to do this with Jet. Even though he could sense that Jet trusted him, he wanted to prove to the Freedom Fighter that he was serious about fighting against the Fire Nation – and about his feelings. Once the Avatar defeated his father, he was determined to leave _everything_ behind for Jet.

Jet slid down the slope and crouched beside Zuko, clutching his sword. "I think they saw me."

"Yeah, they saw the rocks on the slope after I came down." Zuko whispered. "I don't think we're going to be able to do this as well as we thought..."

"All we have to do is run across the airfield and jump in a war balloon." Jet said. "Then you light it up and we're away."

"It's easier said than done, Jet." Zuko said, his expression serious.

"Well I'm good at getting things done." Jet said. "If you provide cover, I'll dash over and get the balloon, and then I'll cover you when you run across."

"How are you going to cover me?"

"I was thinking that through." Jet said. "I knew I should've picked up some knives or arrows in the guard room..."

"Why didn't you?"

"Because I was too busy looking for you!" Jet protested. "Look, we have to move. We can't just sit here and argue – if you go first, they won't be expecting it. You can get in the balloon and you can start getting some air into it and cover me as I run across."

"I don't want to risk losing you." Zuko said.

"Which is why it'll be better for us to do it this way." Jet insisted, grabbing the front of Zuko's tunic. "I've been fighting against the Fire Nation for years, Zuko and you haven't – you've been fighting with them. Just trust me on this, okay?"

"_Fine_." Zuko sighed. "Don't get toasted."

"I won't." Jet said, smiling. "But just in case..." He pressed his lips against Zuko's, feeling the Prince relax into the kiss. Zuko was so tense, like a coiled spring. Jet could understand how stressful it was for him – leaving everything he had ever known to fight against his home in the war, but there was also a sense of relief. Jet broke away, cupping Zuko's face in his hands. "I love you."

Zuko pressed his forehead against Jet's. "I know."

"_Go_." Jet urged.

Zuko nodded and looked around the boulder, checking that the way across was relatively clear. He stood up and ran out of his and Jet's hiding place, immediately catching the attention of several Fire Nation soldiers. He deflected the first couple of fire blasts that were aimed at him and then turned and ran towards the war balloon. He dived into the basket and then stood up, blasting a few Fire Nation soldiers who were standing nearby.

"JET, COME ON!" Zuko yelled, ripping the furnace door open and directing a fire blast to get some hot air into the balloon. He ducked down again, narrowly avoiding a volley of arrows fired at him. He stood up, shielding himself from the next volley with flames, and scanned the area for Jet. The Freedom Fighter was nowhere in sight.

And then he spotted him, surrounded by a group of Fire Nation soldiers. Jet was doing well to hold his own against them, and Zuko wondered why Jet had even doubted whether he would be able to fight with only one sword.

The Freedom Fighter broke away from the fight and ran towards the war balloon.

"Zuko, you have to get out of here!" Jet insisted.

"I'm not leaving you behind!" Zuko protested. "Just climb in the basket!"

"There isn't time for this! I'll stay on the ground and hold them off." Jet said. "That gives you plenty of time to escape."

"You'll be killed!" Zuko said. "My father will make sure you're executed! He'll use you as an example, Jet – he'll use you to hurt me!"

Jet grabbed the front of Zuko's tunic yanked the Prince forwards, staring at him with sheer, cold determination. "Then make sure I don't die for nothing. Go and find the Avatar – teach him firebending or whatever it is you intend to do. We'll find each other when this is over, I promise."

"But –"

"The world is more important than I am, Zuko!" Jet hissed.

Zuko clutched Jet's shoulders and crashed his lips against the other's in a furious kiss to show Jet how much he meant to him – how much it was going to hurt him by leaving the Freedom Fighter behind. "You are the world to me."

"Go." Jet insisted, breaking away from Zuko's grasp. "The Avatar needs you." He grabbed his sword and charged towards the Fire Nation soldiers who had gotten a bit too close during his goodbye to Zuko, swinging his sword through the air in a clean arc.

Zuko watched as Jet slowly felled the men and then closed his eyes, sighing heavily. Still careful to avoid any attacks directed at him, he began to shoot more fireballs into the furnace, and he felt the balloon slowly begin to rise.

Jet watched as the Fire Nation war balloon took to the air, and he instantly knew that Zuko would be alright – he had to be.

The Freedom Fighter threw his sword to the ground and held up his hands in a gesture of surrender – if he surrendered, then it was likely he would be thrown back into prison and probably tortured for his defiance. He wasn't sure whether torture or death would be the less painful option.

xXx

Zuko had never felt so alone in his whole life. After his banishment he had still been able to identify with his nation and the crew on his ship. After the Siege of the North, Iroh had always been with him. Even when he had decided to split from his uncle and face the world alone he hadn't felt this alone... even when he had been chased out of an Earth Kingdom town for being Fire Nation – he had still been able to identify with his country.

Now though...

He had betrayed his country. He had betrayed it to join the people who had been his enemies for his whole life – he didn't even know if they would accept him. He had given everything up for one cause that might even be lost. He didn't know what had happened to the invasion force. They might have been crushed for all he knew – the Avatar might have really died this time. He could be following that damned flying bison for nothing.

And he had left Jet behind.

Jet – the Earth Kingdom peasant who had been the largest influence on his life. The boy – no, _man_. Jet was a man now – who he had fallen in _love_ with. So it had been Mai before... but she had never made him feel how Jet did. He smiled when Mai was around because she was pretty, and he found her dull sense of humour funny. He smiled when Jet was around because that was the effect Jet had on him.

xXx

"Your brother left during the invasion." Ozai said. The city had been reclaimed, and the prisoners from the invasion were currently being dealt with. Ozai had ordered that the leader of the invasion be established and then preparations would be made for whoever it was to be sent to the Boiling Rock.

"I expected as much." Azula said smugly. "Did you really believe he would stick around, father? He's never been loyal to you or the Fire Nation – he's always been a traitor."

"Your uncle escaped too."

"Did Zuko spring him from prison?"

"No, he was gone when Zuko went to free him."

"And what of the Earth Kingdom peasant?" Azula asked innocently – she already knew what the answer was going to be. Judging by what Zuko had said in a letter he had left for Mai, Jet would be with him right now. She wondered if Mai had destroyed the letter yet – she had probably glanced over it and then pinned it up on the nearest wall to throw knives at. "Is he still locked in his cell, or is he off 'saving the world' with Zuko?"

"We've recaptured him." Ozai said. "He aided Zuko's escape and then gave himself up."

Azula was surprised – she was sure that her brother wouldn't leave his boyfriend behind. "He didn't go with him?"

"No. He will be executed in the morning." Ozai said, studying his daughter's expression. She looked thoughtful, with a hint of something Ozai couldn't quite place. "Azula, you look thoughtful."

Azula smirked. "Make sure that prisoner isn't executed – I have an idea."

**A/N: Another chapter done!**

**Any comments or feedback are appreciated!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Thank you for all of the reviews and favourites! This chapter is set after the Western Air Temple, when Zuko has joined the Gaang. I meant to have this up sooner, but I've had so much work to do recently. Thank you for being so patient!**

**Summary: "No matter how many deaths that I die, I will never forget. No matter how many lives that I live I will never forget. There's a fire inside this heart and a riot about to explode into flames." Sequel to 'A Beautiful Lie' in which Jet survived. Goes from the Fall of Ba Sing Se up until the end of Sozin's Comet, spoiler warning.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender**

**Hurricane**

**Chapter 9**

"You can take him some food! You cooked it!" Sokka protested, shoving the bowl back towards Katara. "I don't see why I have to be the one to make sure the guy who chased us all over the world and tried to _kill us_ is fine! I can't even bend!"

"So?" Katara asked. "You're always bragging that you're a great warrior – I'm sure you'll be able to handle it if he decides to attack you."

"You're a _waterbender_, he's a _firebender_." Sokka hissed. "I'm sure you stand a better chance of survival!"

"He's not okay, you know." Toph said.

"What?" Both Sokka and Katara asked, turning to face the blind earthbender.

"Zuko – he's really upset about something. He hasn't been eating regularly – he keeps 'forgetting' to come down for dinner and he either spends all of his time meditating or wandering around the temple alone." Toph explained. "Sometimes I really wonder –"

"– Whether you're really the blind one around here." Sokka rolled his eyes. "We know, Toph. It's just... Zuko has never really been Mr 'Sunshine and Rainbows', so there wasn't really anything different to notice."

"So, if he's upset about something different it proves you should take him his food." Katara concluded, shoving the bowl into Sokka's hands. "You're a teenage boy, he's a teenage boy. I'm sure you'll both be able to find some sort of common ground. Good luck."

"... Sometimes I hate you." Sokka grumbled, heading away from the main camp. They had originally started off with separate rooms at the Air Temple, but eventually everyone had moved down to one of the plazas where they had set up the camp fire and Appa slept. Zuko was now the only one who slept in one of the temple rooms, mainly due to the fact he liked his privacy and everyone was still wary of him – he was the Prince of the Fire Nation after all, and had been considered their enemy for so long.

Zuko was sat cross-legged in the middle of his room, surrounded by candles. Sokka guessed that he was meditating, due to the fact it was dusk – he always meditated at dawn and dusk regardless of anything else that was happening. He opened his eyes when Sokka stopped in the doorway but said nothing, waiting for the other to explain his presence.

"I – uh – brought you some food." Sokka said, holding up the steaming bowl of rice. "You didn't come down for dinner again."

"No-one told me dinner was ready." Zuko said, uncrossing his legs and stretching.

"I know you're lying because I knocked on the door about an hour ago and told you." Sokka said, walking over to Zuko and holding the bowl out to him. "It's okay if you don't like my sister's cooking – it sure took a while to get used to."

Zuko didn't even smile at Sokka's joke as he took the bowl of food from him. "Thank you."

Sokka stood awkwardly in the centre of the room for a few minutes – he wasn't sure what he was supposed to do. Toph had heavily implied that someone talk to him, but Sokka wasn't really sure what he was supposed to say.

"You don't have to watch me eat." Zuko said without looking up from his bowl.

"Is everything okay?" Sokka asked. "With you, I mean – you've just – you don't really seem very happy here, and I know it might be because you had to leave everything behind and whatever, but... you're not eating either. You keep 'forgetting' to."

"I'm fine." Zuko replied. "Really, I am. You don't have to worry about me – we have plenty of other things to focus on." _The only thing I'm worried about is what's going to happen to Jet._

xXx

"You all know why you are here." A Fire Nation General said, pacing up and down in front of the crowd before him. "You are here because you were part of an invasion against the Fire Nation. You are here because you attempted to overthrow Fire Lord Ozai and you will be punished for your crimes. You are here because..."

Jet glanced around the plaza – there weren't as many war prisoners as he thought there would be, considering there was a whole _invasion_. He couldn't even see anyone he recognised, which was probably a good thing. It meant that the Avatar had got away or had been killed, with got away being the most likely option. If the Avatar had been killed then the celebrations would still be happening.

The next thing Jet knew was that the crowd was moving and he was being pushed towards the prison block entrance. He had to keep moving with the crowd to avoid being crushed, but he was already scanning the surroundings for potential escape routes – he had only just got out of prison and he wasn't planning on being back for long. He had to go and find Zuko anyway.

He was then aware of someone calling his name and he turned around and found himself face-to-face with Pipsqueak.

"_Pipsqueak_?" Jet asked in surprise as the large man pulled him into a bear hug and lifted him off the ground. "What the – what the hell are you doing here?"

Pipsqueak set Jet back down on the ground. "I could ask you the same thing. I didn't see you in the invasion."

"You were part of the invasion force?" Jet asked in awe. "Fuck, a lot changed since we left the forest – you have to tell me everything... you have to tell me what happened to the others. _I_ have to tell you what happened to the others."

"A Fire Nation prison isn't exactly the best place for having a catch-up." Pipsqueak said. "But I suppose we'll have to try and find some time together – I doubt it'll be as relaxed here as the Fire Nation prisons in the Earth Kingdom."

"None of that matters." Jet said. "I'm not planning on staying for long."

"Do you have a plan?"

"Not yet." Jet said, lowering his voice. "But I will soon."

xXx

"The Boiling Rock holds the Fire Nation's most dangerous criminals." Azula explained, sat beside her father at the war council. "I suggest that we send the leader of the invasion force there along with any serious defectors, such as the Earth Kingdom rebel who aided the escape of Prince Zuko."

"Why would we send the rebel to the Boiling Rock, Azula?" Ozai asked. "He has caused us enough problems and is clearly an ally of your brother. Why shouldn't we have him executed? Why can't we use him as an example?"

"Because we can use him as bait." Azula answered.

Ozai raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Zuko knows about the Boiling Rock." Azula went on to say. "He knows what happens to enemies of the Fire Nation, and he clearly cares for this rebel in _some_ way – he tried to spring him from prison before. Who's to say he won't try to do the same again?"

"Are you saying we should set a trap for him?"

"Yes." Azula said.

xXx

"I spoke to him – he said he's fine. Problem solved." Sokka said, dropping to his knees beside his sleeping bag to unfold it before he turned in for the night.

Katara looked up from where she was washing up the food bowls with Aang, using some sort of waterbending technique. "And?"

"He said he's fine." Sokka shrugged, crawling into his sleeping bag. "I took his word for it – it's not like we're best friends, Katara. From what I've seen when he was chasing us around the world and trying to kill us this is his normal mood."

"I'm not expecting you to be best friends." Katara bristled.

"Are you guys talking about Zuko?" Aang asked, looking from Sokka's silhouette beside the campfire to Katara.

"Toph thinks that he's upset by something." Katara explained.

Aang nodded. "He does seem rather down."

"Maybe it's because you're waking him up at the crack of dawn to go on an expedition to some ancient Sun Warrior ruins to fix his firebending." Sokka called. "I know I would be pretty down if that was happening to me."

"Sokka, he's a _firebender_." Katara sighed. "He wakes up at the crack of dawn _every day_."

"Sucks to be him." Sokka grumbled.

xXx

"That's Hakoda, the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe." Pipsqueak said, gesturing to a man standing across the room from them who held hints of familiarity for Jet. "He was the leader of the invasion force, though his son came up with the plan – you remember Sokka and Katara, don't you? The Water Tribe siblings who were travelling with the Avatar? Sokka's the one who came up with the invasion plan."

"Sokka came up with the invasion plan?"

"Yes."

"Shit, I knew I should've got him on my side before." Jet said, with a ghost of his old, cocky – and slightly psychotic – smirk on his face. "This plan would've been way more effective than blowing up a dam."

"We wouldn't have been able to go through with it." Pipsqueak said, shaking his head.

"Why not?"

"Because you don't listen to other people." Pipsqueak said. "Didn't the dam prove that to you?"

"... You know me too well." Jet said, leaning back against the wall and folding his arms. "This prison isn't exactly high security, is it? The soldiers are letting us all mingle."

"I don't think they have enough cells to hold everyone." Pipsqueak said.

"Aren't they scared of riots?" Jet asked, smirking.

"Jet, we are not starting a prison riot."

"Why not?" Jet asked. "Do you have any other ideas of how we're going to escape from this place?"

Pipsqueak didn't get a chance to answer, as a group of Fire Nation prison guards walked into the cell block.

"Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe," One of the guards said. "You're expected to come with us right now, along with the Earth Kingdom rebel who aided the escape of the traitor Prince Zuko. The Fire Lord requests your presence."

Hakoda muttered something to the man standing next to him and stepped forwards, as did Jet.

Pipsqueak was stunned. "You mean... _you_ helped the Prince of the Fire Nation escape?"

"I'll explain everything when I come back." Jet said, walking away from Pipsqueak. _If I come back._ Something told him that his appointment with the Fire Lord wasn't going to be an occasion to be celebrated.

**A/N: Short chapter, I know, but for some reason this one was really had to write. I've had several different versions, but I haven't been happy with any of them so I'm uploading this one. I think it may have been difficult because it was pretty much a filler chapter – fitting Jet into the A:TLA canon in Book Three is quite challenging in some aspects. I have no idea when the next chapter is going to be up, but I will try to get it all written as soon as possible.**

**Any comments or feedback are appreciated.**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Haven't been getting many reviews recently, but I probably have my slow updating to blame for that. Sorry guys, I'm trying to get this story up as quick as I can because I have so much new material that I want to work on, but I have to finish this or it's going to drive me insane leaving it incomplete.**

**Summary: "No matter how many deaths that I die, I will never forget. No matter how many lives that I live I will never forget. There's a fire inside this heart and a riot about to explode into flames." Sequel to 'A Beautiful Lie' in which Jet survived. Goes from the Fall of Ba Sing Se up until the end of Sozin's Comet, spoiler warning.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender**

**Hurricane**

**Chapter 10**

"Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe." Ozai said, his gaze roaming over the prisoners who had been brought before him. "And the Earth Kingdom rebel who helped my disgraced son escape from his home – well, the place that used to be his home. He's a traitor now. When my forces eventually find him he'll be killed on the spot."

Jet had been baited so many times before that this time shouldn't have been any different... but it was. This was the man who had deliberately scarred his son to teach him a lesson... the man who was responsible for the deaths of Jet's parents. He could feel his anger rising. He wanted to scream and yell and make this man suffer, but he knew it would be useless. There was no point in him getting himself killed before he even had the chance to see Zuko again.

"Fire Lord Ozai." Hakoda addressed curtly, making sure to stand tall and meet the man's gaze. He wouldn't give him any indication that he was inferior to him. "I take it you have requested to see us due to our involvement in the invasion."

"Why else would I want to see you?" Ozai asked. "I don't consider either of you to be very dangerous – neither of you are benders."

"Last time I checked, your son helped me break out of one of your prisons and I had killed a number of your soldiers." Jet snarled.

"Jet, that's enough." Hakoda hissed, nudging the Freedom Fighter with his elbow. He had seen men from both sides of the war taken prisoner before, and every single side demonstrated the same thing – never allow the enemy to get a rise out of you. It just boosted moral for the opposite side and made you look as though you had no self control, driving some men to do crazy things which acted as a catalyst to their death. "_Enough_."

Jet managed to contain his anger, taking deep breaths and glaring up at Ozai. _I can't let him bait me. I have to be strong for Zuko._

"Earth Kingdom savage." Ozai said, shaking his head. "Your people are all the same – stubborn and dirty like the element you command."

"I'm not even an earthbender." Jet said. "So I don't know why you're comparing me to 'the element I command'."

"Are you a trained assassin?" Ozai asked. "It would explain why you were able to kill so many of my men with barely a scratch on yourself."

"I've never been trained." Jet said, shaking his head – he was going to enjoy this. He was going to enjoy telling the Fire Lord that he had killed his elite guards with the knowledge he had gained from living in a forest with a bunch of orphans. "I learnt everything by myself – I killed my first man when I was nine years old. It was a Fire Nation solider and he was going to capture us. I wasn't going to let any of them take me or my friends alive."

"I'm impressed." Ozai said, steepling his fingers. "A child soldier from the Earth Kingdom... interesting. I had heard the rumours in the reports from my Generals that there were children hiding in the forests causing problems. I never saw these rebels as a threat."

"Maybe you should've." Jet said. "I'm sure I've killed more of your men than anyone who was serving at Ba Sing Se."

"Perhaps." Ozai said, his gaze flicking to Hakoda. "Chief Hakoda, you've been awfully quiet. Don't you have anything you want to say?"

"I just want to know the purpose of this visit." Hakoda said. "We haven't been brought before you for idle chit-chat – we're war prisoners. What do you want with us, Fire Lord Ozai? Surely you want us to suffer at your hand."

"Fine." Ozai said, sitting up straight. His eyes were reflecting the fire that he could easier shoot from his fingertips – clearly he wanted to keep his authority, and being challenged by Hakoda had switched on his inferiority complex. "We can skip the niceties."

"We're not here for niceties." Hakoda growled. "We're here as war prisoners, not to be toyed with."

"Very well." Ozai said. "My war council and I have decided that both of you will be sent to the Boiling Rock prison, and once you are there you will be detained for your crimes against the Fire Nation. The Warden will make sure that both of you are punished severely and suitably. Once you have served your sentences you will either be drafted into the workforce as additional labor or you will be executed."

"How long are we sentenced for?" Hakoda asked.

Ozai smiled cruelly. "As long as I see fit."

xXx

Zuko had no problem with being alone.

The only people who seemed willing to give him a chance were Aang and Toph – Aang because he made a habit of seeing the good in people and he hadn't actually been around when the war had started, meaning he hadn't seen firsthand what the Fire Nation had done to the world, except that Fire Lord Sozin had destroyed all of the Air Nomads. Toph knew that he was being sincere about wanting to help them fight the Fire Nation and even though she was blind, Zuko was sure that she was more aware than anyone else in the group.

He had spoken to Sokka on a few occasions, but he didn't really see himself as having much in common with the Water Tribesman, only that they were both 'warriors', even though that term had to be stretched to incorporate Sokka.

Katara obviously hated him for some sort of reason – he was sure that there _was_ a reason behind it, though it seemed best not to dwell on it. Sokka seemed to be trying to make an effort to get along with him, but he seemed a lot more relaxed than his sister. Her threat from the first night when they had accepted him into the group had stopped playing on his mind a few days ago – there was no need for it, considering he was certain that he never wanted to go back to being his old self.

The others didn't really pay him any attention – Haru, Teo and The Duke. They all seemed to be wary of Zuko, or they weren't bothered by his presence. Zuko assumed that it was wary – Haru's family had been imprisoned by Fire Nation soldiers and Teo had been left permanently disabled by a flood when he was an infant, and recently the Northern Air Temple he had lived at had been attacked. Zuko didn't know much about The Duke, except that he had lived in the woods with a group of Earth Kingdom rebels.

He was sitting on the edge of the campfire, listening to the stories that the others were telling each other. Sokka seemed to be telling the story of when he and his sister had found Aang in the iceberg – a story that Zuko didn't want to listen to, as he knew that he would soon be mentioned... and most likely humiliated.

Sokka was now saying something about a group of rebels in the woods in the Earth Kingdom, where The Duke had been. "And then their leader, Jet..."

Zuko sat bolt upright, feeling his heart stop. They must have been talking about the same Jet – _his_ Jet. They were talking about how he had tried to blow up a dam, and how Sokka had stopped him by evacuating the village.

"We ran into Jet in Ba Sing Se." Aang said.

"Where is he?" The Duke asked. "Didn't he want to come with you?"

"He couldn't come with us." Katara replied, scooting closer to the child and putting an arm around his shoulders. "He wanted to, but..."

"But what?" The Duke asked. "Why couldn't he come with you?"

"He..." Katara sighed. "He stayed behind with Longshot and Smellerbee because... he was too badly hurt to come with us."

"He's dead, isn't he?" The Duke asked.

"Yes." Katara nodded.

Zuko stood up and left the campfire, heading back to his room – he didn't want to hear this conversation. He knew that Jet hadn't died in Ba Sing Se, but as far as he knew the Freedom Fighter was dead now. He shouldn't have let the Earth Kingdom rebel stay behind in the Fire Nation. He should've stayed with him, not left him to face whatever punishment Ozai had in store alone.

And if Jet wasn't executed, he would be sent to the Boiling Rock. It made him feel terrible, but he was praying that Jet had been killed instead of sent there. Being the Prince of the Fire Nation meant that he knew things that other people didn't, and he knew all about the reputation of the the Fire Nation prison – he knew the horrors that many prisoners faced. It was almost like its own country, with the Warden's word being law.

xXx

"Have you ever heard any of the rumours about Boiling Rock prison?" Pipsqueak asked as Jet flopped down on his bunk.

"No." Jet said. "But it's just a prison – it can't be that bad. I've been to one before. I was in this one _before_ the invasion and I escaped."

"No-one has ever escaped from the Boiling Rock." Pipsqueak said.

"I've never been there before." Jet shrugged, a smirk plastered on his face. "Of course no-one's escaped."

"It's in the middle of a boiling lake." Pipsqueak explained. "The only way in or out of the prison is by cable car – it will be impossible, Jet. Even if you managed to get onto the cable car the Warden would order the line to be cut and you would plunge into the lake and _die_."

"You know a lot about this prison." Jet said. "How do I know you didn't escape once?"

"I pay attention to the drunken idiots telling stories in taverns, Jet." Pipsqueak said, wishing for once that the Freedom Fighter would take something _completely_ seriously. "Drunken words are sober thoughts, so there is usually an element of truth."

"If no-one's escaped then where do the stories come from?"

"Fire Nation soldiers."

"Hm. Fair enough." Jet said. "But I'm serious, Pipsqueak. I'm not going to let the Fire Nation keep me there for long – I'm going to escape or I'm going to die trying. I've been fighting for too long to just... give up now."

"Well then I hope you escape, Jet." Pipsqueak said. "Because you're a good man and you're a good friend. I want to see you when this war is over."

"Same here." Jet smiled. "It's all going to be okay."

"I hope you're right."

xXx

"What was Jet like?"

"Huh?" The Duke turned around to look at Zuko. Katara had stuck them both on dish-washing duty, and for the past five minutes the ex-Prince had been scrubbing out the cooking pot in silence.

"You were talking about someone called Jet earlier." Zuko said. "And something about him blowing up a dam. What was he like?"

"Oh." The Duke fidgeted uncomfortably. "I used to think he was great – I really looked up to him. He was like an older brother to me, which I liked because the Fire Nation killed my family. He always made sure we had food and stuff and he would always join in when I was playing a game. Sometimes though..." The Duke looked incredibly uncomfortable. "Sometimes he scared me."

"What do you mean by that?" Zuko asked.

"He got angry a lot." The Duke said. "And when he was angry he wouldn't listen to anyone... he used to hurt people – people who he told us were Fire Nation and he used to come up with crazy ideas, like blowing up the dam. He just wanted to get rid of the Fire Nation, but it meant other people would get hurt."

_Definitely the Jet I know. _He remembered when Jet had been determined to prove that he was a firebender in Ba Sing Se – the Freedom Fighter had publicly attacked him in the tea shop where he worked and then been arrested. "He lost his parents to the Fire Nation, didn't he?"

"Yeah."

"I think... I think I met him once." Zuko said. "I met this guy called Jet in Ba Sing Se... he told me that he came from a forest and said he had done things he wasn't proud of. I think... I think he changed though."

"Like you changed?"

"Yes." Zuko nodded, returning his attention to the cooking pot. _I think we changed each other._

"Why are you smiling?" The Duke asked.

"What?" Zuko asked, looking up and frowning.

"You were smiling just then."

"Oh... I didn't notice." Zuko said. "If you want to go and join the others I'll finish washing up – it's fine."

"Thanks Zuko!" The Duke said, throwing down the pan he had been scrubbing and scrabbling over to the campfire.

Zuko thought about Jet and how much they had both hated each other – Zuko had hated Jet when he met him because he was entirely different to him. Jet had been the complete opposite of how he had been brought up... Jet had shown him that there were other ways to live. Jet had also shown him what the Fire Nation had done to people. He was determined to make sure that the Freedom Fighter survived the war to hopefully get some closure.

**A/N: Any comments or feedback are appreciated.**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: So I started work on this chapter sooner than I thought, which means you've got it sooner! Thank you to those people who reviewed and favourite the last chapter... it really means a lot to me and helps to motivate my writing.**

**Summary: "No matter how many deaths that I die, I will never forget. No matter how many lives that I live I will never forget. There's a fire inside this heart and a riot about to explode into flames." Sequel to 'A Beautiful Lie' in which Jet survived. Goes from the Fall of Ba Sing Se up until the end of Sozin's Comet, spoiler warning.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender**

**Hurricane**

**Chapter 11**

"If I'm honest, the Boiling Rock doesn't exactly live up to its reputation." Sokka said. When Zuko had first told him about the prison he had expected it to be like a Hell on Earth, but really it was just a large prison which was impossible to escape from, where the guards were reluctant to do anything unless ordered to – they didn't care what the prisoners did and didn't do. They were just as trapped as everyone else was.

"That's because you're a new recruit, Sokka, and you're in disguise as a guard." Zuko said grimly, sitting in the corner of the cooler as he watched Sokka pacing up and down like some sort of trapped animal in the tiny space. "They expect new guards to do everything by the book. They expect you not to be corrupt when you come here. The prison has a way of getting to people... the prison doesn't really have the reputation, it's more the guards."

"Oh, that's reassuring." Sokka said. "Does this mean I need to go and beat the crap out of some people so no-one gets suspicious?"

"If you try to punch me I will set you on fire." Zuko said, the corners of his mouth twitching.

"Zuko, you're a prisoner. You shouldn't be smiling." Sokka grinned, shaking his head. "No-one else here smiles – you've seen them all."

"Suki does when she sees you." Zuko said, and he noticed the blush on Sokka's cheeks – he was sure that it was because of the fact he had mentioned Suki and not just the temperature inside the cooler. "We should probably talk to her about that – prisoners here don't smile when they see guards coming near them. They try and get as far away as possible."

"Yeah." Sokka said, biting his lip. "Am I doing the right thing, getting her out of here so that I can try to find my dad? I don't want her to be here any longer than she has to... I don't want her to be stuck here because I'm being selfish."

Zuko sighed. "I don't know, Sokka. She might not want to leave you behind – she might want to stay." _I didn't want to leave Jet behind, but I had to. _"But if Suki wants to stay with you, then you have to make her leave. If you love her you have to get her out of here, and if she loves you she'll leave – she'll understand why you have to do this."

"Okay." Sokka nodded. "The thing is, she's a Kyoshi..."

"So if there's a fight she'll want to be a part of it." Zuko agreed. "I'm still sorry for burning down her village, by the way..."

"Hey... it's not me you have to keep apologising to." Sokka shrugged. "I don't think she is as mad as she makes out to be, anyway. I think she's just trying to guilt trip you – take it from me, I grew up around women and they're _always_ trying to emotionally blackmail you for _something_. Give her a few days and you two will be best friends."

"Best friends?"

"You never know..." Sokka shrugged. "I should probably go... I should at least look like I'm on duty or something."

"Good luck with that."

"Thanks."

"Don't beat up any prisoners."

"I'll try not to." Sokka said, walking over to the cooler. "I'll get the others out of their cells soon... and then I'll come and get you. Be careful."

"You too."

xXx

"We're not going to die in prison." Hakoda said. "The war is going to be won soon – we just have to lay low and bide our time."

Jet looked at the older man and scoffed. "If you think I'm going to do nothing then –"

"I'm not expecting you to do nothing." Hakoda said. "I'm expecting you to sit and wait for the right time – I spoke to Pipsqueak about you before we were taken from the capital. He's told me that you can be... spontaneous and that you can also be easily provoked." He held up a manacled hand to silence Jet's protests. "We will get out of prison eventually Jet, but we need a plan."

"We'll have a plan." Jet insisted. "I know some of the thing's you've heard about me aren't good, and I'm not exactly proud of everything I've done..."

"Like the dam?"

Jet nodded. "But I did have to plan for that."

"I hear that you also manipulated my daughter." Hakoda said sternly.

"Hey – she saw through me in the end." Jet said. "Do you know how much it hurts being hit in the face by a waterbender?"

Hakoda chuckled. "No, but that sounds just like Katara."

A Fire Nation soldier walked into the hold. "Alright everyone, stand up! We're here now. You will be escorted onto the gondola which will take you down to the prison. Once there, you will be processed and detained for the amount of time for which you are sentenced."

xXx

"Zuko is at Boiling Rock prison." Azula said. "As a prisoner – what a surprise."

"You're saying that as if you expect me to care what he's done." Mai said, sitting on the chaise lounge.

"The message came from your uncle." Azula said, holding up the parchment that had been brought by a messenger hawk. Said messenger hawk was sitting on the window ledge, being patted and stroked by Ty Lee.

Mai stood up and snatched the letter from Azula, scanning it. "So now you have the right to open my mail?"

"I am the Princess, Mai." Azula smirked. "I can do whatever I want – it looks as though I didn't have to send his boyfriend to prison to set a trap... oh well, I'm sure they'll have a joyful reunion when they find each other."

"Why do you always refer to that rebel as Zuko's 'boyfriend'?" Ty Lee asked, frowning as the messenger hawk flapped its wings. "If anyone overheard you they would assume something... and Zuko would be in even more trouble."

"Why would I care?" Azula asked.

"He's your brother." Ty Lee replied. "Any bad reputation he has would come back to your family."

"Ty Lee, he's been disowned for the _second time_." Azula rolled her eyes and flicked her hair – no-one understood that she didn't care about Zuko, even if he was her brother. "I don't think people even think he's a part of the Fire Nation Royal Family – he was banished when he was fourteen years old, came back when he was sixteen and then decided he wanted to run away to join the Avatar – why would I care about what my brother's done? He's a traitor."

"But he's still family."

"He isn't anything to do with my family." Azula said. "He's just like mother and uncle... nobody cares about either of them. Ask anyone in the Fire Nation about my mother and they don't remember her. Ask anyone in the Fire Nation about uncle and they assume that he died years ago. Ask anyone in the Fire Nation about Zuko and they say 'isn't he the traitor Prince who was in the training accident'?"

xXx

"Well, we're back where we started I guess." Suki said. "Except now your dad's here too."

Sokka nodded. "I thought that we could get out of here... or at least you guys could, but we've just made things worse – the whole prison is on lockdown and it's going to be impossible to use a cooler as a boat."

"I wasn't going to leave you here alone." Suki insisted, snuggling into his side despite the hard edges of the armour plating. "And I want to help you rescue your dad."

"I don't know if we'll be able to now." Sokka confessed. "I don't know if any of us will be able to get out of here... what if we're stuck here? What if they decide to send Zuko to the capital for a trial or something? I won't be able to do anything to stop it..."

"Stop talking like that." Suki said quietly. "Stop talking about 'what ifs'. We need to focus on the _now_. We will find a way out of here, it's just going to be more difficult than we thought."

Sokka nodded. "I need to speak to my dad – he doesn't know I'm here yet and the guards should've left him by now."

"Be careful." Suki said. "They're on high alert after the escape attempt, and they're probably questioning Chit Sang about the escape plan... he might drop your name into it."

"I'll be fine." Sokka smiled, pecking her on the cheek and standing up. "You need to be careful... I've seen a couple of those prison guards looking at you."

"I can handle myself."

"I don't doubt that." He smiled and pulled on his helmet.

xXx

"Fucking prison cell." Jet snarled, punching the wall. He was trying to stay calm, but small spaces always made him nervous. He didn't want to be locked in a small metal room – he wanted to be somewhere that he could see what was happening, like the forest. He wondered what the guards would do if they came into his cell and found him having a panic attack. Maybe they would let him out, and then he would have a chance to...

Someone banged on the door to Jet's cell. "Keep it down in there!"

"I can't! I'm having a fucking panic attack!" Okay, so it was a bit of an exaggeration but Jet didn't care. He just didn't want to be in a small room, or anywhere in a Fire Nation prison. "Can someone just get me out of here for a few minutes? I just need air!"

"There's plenty of air in your cell!"

"Oh, you're so fucking funny!"

"Look here, kid. I don't appreciate that tone you're taking up with me." The prison guard slid open the panel on the cell door. "So just sit in your cell and go to sleep – nothing's going to happen to you in here, alright? I've got other more important prisoners to deal with."

Jet ran over to the cell door and watched as the guard headed off down the corridor. "Like who? There isn't anyone more important than me in this shithole!"

The guard stopped and turned around. "How about the Prince of the Fire Nation? Is he more important?"

_You have no idea how much._

**A/N: Wow, I really wasn't expecting to have this chapter finished in one day. It shows what you can do if you're really focused.**

**Any comments or feedback are appreciated.**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Sorry for the late update, but I'm under so much pressure at the moment from exams and other deadlines I'm trying to get this done as soon as I can. Thank you to anyone who left reviews or favourites on the last chapter.**

**Summary: "No matter how many deaths that I die, I will never forget. No matter how many lives that I live I will never forget. There's a fire inside this heart and a riot about to explode into flames." Sequel to 'A Beautiful Lie' in which Jet survived. Goes from the Fall of Ba Sing Se up until the end of Sozin's Comet, spoiler warning.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender**

**Hurricane**

**Chapter 12**

Finding out where Zuko was would be difficult. There was no way he would be able to bribe a prison guard into telling him – no matter how corrupt they were, none of them would want to point Jet in the direction of the traitor Prince. They would either assume that he wanted a chance to beat the shit out of him himself, or that they were conspiring together... even if the guards were corrupt, they didn't owe him anything – he was an Earth Kingdom rebel. They wouldn't benefit from helping him.

He sighed and slid down the wall of the cell, sitting on the floor with his legs stretched out in front of him. If the prison wasn't on lockdown because of some failed escape attempt then he would probably be able to look for Zuko in the courtyard or whilst the guards oversaw the prisoners doing chores.

Jet sat up straight when he heard someone outside his cell.

"Taking food to prisoners? Why the hell can't someone else do this...?" It was obviously a prison guard grumbling as he unlocked the door to Jet's cell and stepped inside, carrying a tray of cold prison food. "Alright, here's your –" the guard finally noticed Jet sitting in the corner and screamed, dropping the tray to the floor.

"What the –" Jet stood up, looking at the prison guard with one eyebrow raised. The guard seemed familiar somehow, but Jet couldn't place it... and he had no understanding whatsoever of why the man would be _screaming _at him.

The prison guard lifted his visor, pointing at Jet, spluttering. "I saw you die!"

"What the – Sokka?"

"You – you can't be alive!" Sokka protested. "You – you were dying! You died under Lake Laogai! Toph said – she said that you were lying when you said you'd be fine!"

"What the fuck are you doing working in a Fire Nation prison?"

Sokka walked over to the cell door and checked the corridor to make sure no-one was around and closed it, leaning back against it. "I'm here to rescue my father... and my girlfriend... and now you, obviously. Spirits, this list just keeps growing!"

"So you're in disguise?"

"Well, that is my intention... but if you keep talking about it I won't be in disguise for much longer!"

"Sorry, sorry..." Jet said. "How long have you been here?"

"A day or so." Sokka said. "When did you get here?"

"I was in the last group of prisoners who were brought here."

"Oh! So you were with my dad?"

"Erm... Chief Hakoda?"

"Yes!" Sokka said. "Why the hell didn't he mention you to me?"

"No idea." Jet said. "Do you know anything about the prisoners they're keeping here? I need to find someone..."

"I haven't seen any of your friends, Jet."

"Well... this one is... sort of unexpected." Jet said. "Seriously, Sokka – I don't want any judgemental comments or whatever from you because I'm not in the mood to deal with this. You don't understand the situation and I don't have time to explain it so just be considerate."

"Erm, okay?" Sokka frowned. It was ironic for Jet to lecture him on being judgemental, as Jet was the one who had decided to beat and rob an old man and justify it by saying that he was an 'assassin sent to kill him'... Sokka still couldn't believe how easily Katara and Aang had gone with what Jet had said – who the hell hired an old man to assassinate someone?

"Do you know if Prince Zuko's here?" Jet asked. "One of the other guards mentioned him, and –"

"Wait – you mean... _Zuko_ is the friend you're looking for?" Sokka asked.

"I thought I told you not to be judgemental?" Jet scowled.

"No, no... it's just..." Sokka laughed and Jet's expression turned to one of confusion. Okay, so maybe it was a bit ironic that he was friends with the Prince of the Fire Nation when he had been so insistent on hating the Fire Nation... but Jet still didn't understand what was so funny about it. Sokka stopped laughing and grinned. "Zuko's here because he came with me to rescue my dad."

"Oh." Jet said. "So you're friends with him too?"

"Yes." Sokka said.

"I take it he found you all then?" Jet asked.

"Yes, it was just after the Day of Black Sun." Sokka answered.

"I helped him escape on that day." Jet said. "I stayed behind so that he could get away safely... he gave up everything that day and I was going to make sure that he hadn't done it all for nothing – he was really serious about changing who he was."

"Like you were?" Sokka asked.

"Hmm." Jet folded his arms. "I have changed – do you think I would've helped him otherwise?"

"No." Sokka said. "It's just... you were _dying_, Jet. I was there when you were laying on the ground with internal injuries. I was there when Smellerbee and Longshot told us to leave you all there. I had to console my sister because even though she tried to hate you for what you did to that village there was always some sort of feeling for you because you swept her off her feet. How did... how did you survive?"

Jet thought carefully about what Sokka had just said. The mention of his friend's names had reminded him that he had no clue if they were even alive anymore. As far as he knew Smellerbee and Longshot had been captured in Ba Sing Se and executed. "If I'm honest, I'm not really sure. I can't... I can't remember any of what happened, except I think..." He shook his head. He wasn't going to share anything that personal with the Water Tribesman. _I think Zuko was there._

"Maybe Katara's magic water did work." Sokka shrugged. "Just slower than we thought it would."

Jet nodded. "It could've been – I was hurt pretty bad."

"You're alright now though, aren't you?" Sokka asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Jet said.

"Do you want me to get a message to Zuko for you?" Sokka asked. "I was going to stop by his cell and check he's okay... we all have to look out for each other in this place – I just... it's hard, because I have to pretend I'm a prison guard and you're all locked up. People start to get suspicious if I keep visiting the same prisoners over and over again but I have to make sure they're all okay..."

"Could you just tell him I'm here?" Jet asked.

Sokka nodded. "And if he asks if you're okay?"

"Tell him I'm fine." Jet said.

"Are you?" Sokka asked.

xXx

The cell door opened and Zuko looked up from where he was laying on the worn mattress that served as a bed. He instantly recognised that it was Sokka and sat upright as the Water Tribesman approached him, lifting his helmet visor and grinning.

"I've got a message for you."

"Really?" Zuko asked. "They've shortened my sentence?"

"No." Sokka answered. "Why the hell would they do that?"

"I don't know." Zuko shrugged. "What is it?"

"Jet's here."

Zuko's unburned eye widened and he jumped up from the mattress. "What? How do you...? Have you seen him? Is he okay?"

"He seems to be fine." Sokka said, leaning against the wall and folding his arms. "He's in the block a couple of cells down. I was just given orders to take him some food – I can't wait to get out of here. I'm sick of taking orders from Fire Nation soldiers."

"At least you're not a prisoner." Zuko sighed, rubbing his face with his hands. "This escape plan just keeps getting more and more complicated, doesn't it?"

"Yep." Sokka nodded. "We've got to get out of here ourselves, rescue my dad and Suki and now Jet – probably Chit Sang too, depending on what the hell happened to him when he got caught."

"Whatever happens, we have to get out of here soon." Zuko said.

"I spoke to my dad earlier... we're working on a plan." Sokka said. "The only problem is that this lockdown has put everyone on edge – I have to sneak into my dad and Suki's cells, and yours too. I think the other guards are starting to get suspicious too."

Zuko bit his lip. "Is there a way I can see Jet?"

"I... I don't think that's a good idea, Zuko." Sokka sighed. "It would mean that I would have to try and move one of you to the other's cell without being caught. I don't think I would be able to manage that... but if you have something you want to say to him I'll try and get a message to him."

"Just tell him I'm okay." Zuko said, sitting back down. Sokka was being nice to him but he wasn't sure how Sokka would react if Zuko told him that he and Jet were a couple. He didn't know much about the laws of the Water Tribes and he wasn't going to test them now.

"How did you and Jet become friends?" Sokka asked. "I mean, I've met Jet a couple of times in the past... and he doesn't exactly seem as though he would get along with you..."

"We met in Ba Sing Se." Zuko shrugged. "I didn't want to be friends with him, but he was very... _persistent_. We haven't always been on god terms though – he got arrested by the Dai Lee for attacking me on suspicion of being a firebender... maybe if he had been believed none of this would've happened." He looked up at Sokka. "Maybe the Earth Kingdom wouldn't have fallen if I had been discovered and arrested."

"No use thinking about it now." Sokka said. "I should go... lights out soon."

"Hmm."

"I'll be back tomorrow."

**A/N: Short chapter, I know and I'm sorry for that. Not sure when the next chapter will be up because of half term and stuff, so bear with me. I have to work on some other stuff first, but I'll try and get it all done as quick as I can.**

**Any comments or feedback are appreciated.**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: This chapter is the break out from Boiling Rock prison, based on the canon. Thank you to everyone who reviewed and favourited the last chapter. I'm sorry for the lateness of the update, but the past few weeks have been hectic. This is going to be the last chapter before the epilogue.**

**Summary: "No matter how many deaths that I die, I will never forget. No matter how many lives that I live I will never forget. There's a fire inside this heart and a riot about to explode into flames." Sequel to 'A Beautiful Lie' in which Jet survived. Goes from the Fall of Ba Sing Se up until the end of Sozin's Comet, spoiler warning.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender**

**Hurricane**

**Chapter 13**

"Oh, shit..." Sokka swore.

Zuko had been taken away by prison guards and they were supposed to be escaping. Sokka himself had only just narrowly escaped from being picked out in a line up by Chit Sang. He had just convinced the guard on duty to let the prisoners out of their cells, and now he had to find everyone else and put the escape plan into action – he had told his dad and Suki where to meet him, but he hadn't had the chance to speak to Jet and he had no idea where Zuko had been taken. He could only hope that Jet managed to find them by chance and that the Prince would be able to escape on his own.

"Sokka!"

"Jet! Do you have any idea where anyone else is?" Sokka asked, making his way over to the Earth Kingdom rebel.

Jet shook his head. "Who are we waiting for?"

"My dad, Suki and Zuko."

"I haven't seen your dad, I have no idea who Suki is and I would've thought that Zuko would be with you." Jet frowned.

"No... I went to see him and tell him about the plan," Sokka explained. "But the guards took him away when I was there – they had orders from the Warden. I don't know where he's been taken or what's happening."

Jet's eyes were wide with fear. "You don't think...?"

"No." Sokka said, shaking his head. "I would know if they were moving him away from the prison – he would be extremely heavily guard. They wouldn't execute him here either – the Fire Lord would want it to be a public execution. He would make an example of him and humiliate his son. He would want to destroy any morale Zuko's allies would have."

"I have to look for him." Jet said.

"Jet –"

"I _have_ to do this, Sokka." The Earth Kingdom rebel insisted. "I'm not going to let him be left behind."

"Do you think you can find him before the riot starts?"

Jet nodded grimly. "The layout of the prison is pretty simple to understand, and if I can't find him I'm sure I can persuade a guard to tell me otherwise."

"How?" Sokka asked. "You're unarmed."

"I've still got fists." Jet shrugged and dashed away.

"Right. Okay." Sokka said to himself, watching Jet disappear into the ground. "Jet's run off to play the hero. That leaves me to find the others and start the riot. Okay."

xXx

Jet guessed that the riot had started, due to the fact that there were no guards in the corridors. However, it was time consuming having to check nearly every cell for the Fire Nation prince he was so desperate to find. He didn't even know if Zuko was locked away somewhere, or if he had managed to get out and join the riot.

He ran around a corner, and slammed into something hard – well, someone. Jet felt heat graze his side and grabbed the other man, throwing him against the wall. "Where's Prince Zuko?" He snarled, wrapping his hand around their throat.

Jet stopped and blinked at the man he had thrown against the wall.

Zuko grabbed the front of his prison tunic and kissed him, muttering breathless apologies against his lips. "Sorry... almost burnt you... thought you were a guard... have to escape... sorry... missed you..."

Jet broke away for air and cupped Zuko's face in his hands, stroking his thumb along the edge of the other man's scar. "I... I found you."

"You did." Zuko smiled, tightening his grip on Jet's tunic as though it would stop anyone separating them ever again. "And you're never going to lose me again."

"Sokka's starting the riot." Jet said. "We have to get down there."

"Did you come across any guards on your way up here?" Zuko asked, the smile fading from his face – he had to get Jet out of the prison, that was all that mattered to him, even though it was completely selfish. If Mai had been there to confront him, it meant that Azula was obviously somewhere and she was the last person Zuko wanted to run into.

"No, there was no-one." Jet said. "I think everyone's dealing with the prisoners – the prison was supposed to be in lockdown."

"I know." Zuko said. "And the riot's started – they sent a guard to protect... Mai. When she was talking to me."

"Your girlfriend?" Jet asked, and Zuko could hear a hint of bitterness in his voice.

"Not anymore." Zuko said, starting to head down the corridor.

Jet smiled and caught up with Zuko. "So, what's the plan when we get out of here?"

"We help the Avatar defeat my father." Zuko said. "It's the same plan that it's always been."

"What about after?" Jet asked, taking Zuko's hand in his. He felt the prince tense slightly, and realised that Zuko hadn't even thought about there being an end to this chaotic state of the world. "What are you going to do then, Zuko?"

"Pay for my father's mistakes." Zuko answered. "I have to pay for all of my family's mistakes, because no-one else will. None of them care what they did to the world – I'm the one who will have to rebuild the Fire Nation because I'm the only one who can admit that it needs to change."

What Jet really wanted to know was where he was going to fit into Zuko's life afterwards. If he was honest, he had been expecting this rescue to seal their relationship. He was expecting Zuko to drop everything and leave with him. "So you're going to give your life to your country? That's it? You're going to spend the rest of your life making up for something that was never your fault?"

"I was the Prince of the Fire Nation, Jet." Zuko said. "You don't... there was so much more I could've done."

"No, there wasn't." Jet said. "Not if you wanted to stay alive – Zuko, your dad burnt your face for disagreeing with one of his Generals. He would've done a lot worse if you had openly defied him."

"He nearly did." Zuko said, his gaze dropping to the floor. "If not for my uncle... I would never have been able to redirect his lightning."

"Hey, we'll find your uncle when this is over." Jet smiled.

"If he wants to be found."

xXx

Sokka didn't know when it all went wrong – if he had, perhaps he could've changed his plan so that everyone got out of Boiling Rock prison. Mai's rescue attempt had been unexpected, but something everyone was grateful for.

Jet...

Sokka hadn't expected him to give up his escape so that they could get out of the prison. From what he had ever learned from being around the rebel, it had been that Jet was only ever out for himself.

Apparently not.

The rebel had stayed behind, saying that he wasn't going to leave the prison while there were still people there who didn't deserve to be. He had seen the argument Jet and Zuko had, something about Zuko saying Jet needed to go with them to help Aang defeat the Fire Lord, and Jet saying that the only thing he needed to do was stay with the people who needed help.

Sokka closed his eyes, remembering what had happened before they boarded Azula's airship.

_"But I need your help!" Zuko protested._

_"Zuko, these people here are who I belong with." Jet said, placing his hands on the Fire Prince's shoulders. "These are my people – they're bandits, prisoners of war and from all of the nations. Some of them are Earth Kingdom, Zuko. I belong with these people. I'm not a hero – I'm not you or Aang or Sokka or Katara or anyone in your little group. I'm just Jet."_

_"You're not." Zuko protested. "You're not 'just Jet'. You're everything to me."_

_"Then prove it." Jet said, a fierce glint in his eye. "Get away from here and prove it, because now you have something to fight for, Zuko. Now you have something to aim for when this is over. Don't spend your life trying to fix what your ancestors did – spend your life finding me."_

_"Jet, you... you're never going to lose me again."_

_"I'm not the one loosing you." Jet said, kissing Zuko on the forehead. "You'll find me. I know you will."_

Sokka opened his eyes and found that Zuko was standing beside him.

"Suki's looking for you." Zuko said. "So's your father."

"Oh, thanks." Sokka said. "I guess... I should go and see them."

"Sokka...?"

"Yes?"

"What... what would you have done?" Zuko asked. "What would you have done if it was Suki who wanted to stay behind?"

"Zuko..."

"Answer me, please?"

"I... I wouldn't have let her go." Sokka confessed. "I've lost too many people, Zuko. I lost my mother to the Fire Nation and I lost Yue... y'know, my girlfriend who turned into the moon. I couldn't... I wouldn't be able to watch her deliberately put herself in danger."

"Thank you..." Zuko said, sighing. "For being honest with me."

"This is about Jet, isn't it?"

"No shit."

"Sorry..."

"No, I'm sorry... I shouldn't..." Zuko ran his fingers through his hair. "I just wish he was here, Sokka. I wish I knew that he was safe."

"I'm sure he's fine." Sokka said.

"He won't be if Azula gets him."

Sokka wanted to say something to reassure the firebender, but he couldn't think of anything to say.

**A/N: I was expecting this chapter to be longer, but my inspiration has been dwindling. The final chapter of this story will be set after the war, as the rest of the story will just follow the Book Three canon. I hope to get the epilogue up as soon as possible, so just sit tight.**

**Any comments or feedback are appreciated!**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Thank you to everyone for being so patient. This is finally the last chapter of this fic, as I don't really feel as though I want to write any more of it.**

**Summary: "No matter how many deaths that I die, I will never forget. No matter how many lives that I live I will never forget. There's a fire inside this heart and a riot about to explode into flames." Sequel to 'A Beautiful Lie' in which Jet survived. Goes from the Fall of Ba Sing Se up until the end of Sozin's Comet, spoiler warning.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender**

**Hurricane**

**Epilogue**

_Five years later._

"Help me understand!" Mai pleaded.

"I can't." Zuko insisted.

"Zuko, you've been looking for this guy for five years!" Mai said, her tone on the edge of desperation. "At least tell me why you need to find him so badly!"

Zuko was silent as he stared out across the Fire Nation capital. What was he supposed to tell Mai? She was his wife now, and his priority was to rebuild the Fire Nation after the war. How was he supposed to tell her that he wanted to throw away everything to find an Earth Kingdom rebel who he was really in love with?

"I owe it to him." Was all Zuko could come up with.

"Did he save your life or something?"

"Something like that." Zuko said, his eyes downcast. "I told him I would find him again, Mai. He made me promise that I would search for him."

"Is this the same guy as the one from Ba Sing Se?"

"Yes." Zuko said, because there was no point in lying to her about who he was looking for. She was bound to find out eventually. "Jet."

"Zuko, I'm not sure... I'm not sure if that's a good idea." She said hesitantly. "The rumours –"

"I don't care what any of the rumours say, Mai." Zuko snapped, looking up at his wife. "I owe him a lot, okay? I told him I would find him again because he deserves so much more than being locked up in a Fire Nation prison for the rest of his life."

"We've searched nearly all of the prisons, and he hasn't been found." Mai sighed. "Zuko, maybe you should just accept that he got out without your help – maybe he doesn't want you to find him."

xXx

Jet looked at the bowl of food that was pushed into the prison cell for him. Even though the war was over, it didn't mean that the Fire Nation were treating their prisoners any better. He was still given cold food and nothing to drink but water. No-one took him seriously when he said that he was a friend of the Fire Lord. They laughed in his face and told him that he was insane. If he was friends with the Fire Lord, he wouldn't be a prisoner.

He picked up the bowl of food and sighed, retreating back to the corner he had been sat in.

Had it really been too much to ask of Zuko to find him once the war was over?

The Fire Lord had promised to find him, and it had been five years. It had been five years since Zuko had left him at Boiling Rock, and five years since he had been moved to a different facility by order of Princess Azula, and tortured for his involvement in the escape of the exiled prince and his friends.

A part of him was convinced that Zuko had given up looking for him, and that he had been nothing more for the prince than something to play with – an experiment. Jet had heard that Zuko had married some girl after the war – Mai, his childhood sweetheart – which left him even more convinced that Zuko maybe didn't want him found. For all he knew, Zuko had discovered that he was in the Fire Nation prison far to the North, and that he had decided he want him kept there forever.

xXx

"You still think you're going to find him, don't you?" Mai asked, sitting across the table from her husband and staring out of the airship window at the ground below them.

Zuko sighed. "You didn't have to come with me."

"I did." Mai said, bitterness in her voice. "You know I did, so I don't know why you even bother to say it."

Zuko looked at her until she turned her head to meet his gaze. "Are you jealous?"

"Of him?" She asked, an eyebrow arched. "No."

"Then stop acting like it." Zuko snapped. "I told you because I thought you would understand, Mai. You kept begging me to help you understand, and now you're acting like I'm going to forget you exist the moment I find him again!"

"That's because I'm scared you are, Zuko!" Mai hissed. "He isn't good for you Zuko... what you did with him is wrong, and it's wrong for a reason. If anyone else finds out about this your reputation will crumble. People won't want you as Fire Lord, Zuko. They won't have any respect for you. They'll want you made an example of." The 'they'll want you killed' went left unsaid.

"I married you because I love you, Mai." Zuko insisted, reaching across the table and grasping her hand. "Don't you ever doubt that for a second."

"Do you love him?" Mai asked, keeping her gaze locked with Zuko's, challenging him to give her a truthful answer.

"Do you really need to ask me this?"

"It seems I do."

Zuko stood up and leant over the table. "I married you, Mai. There isn't much more proof I can give you."

xXx

"The Fire Lord's coming to visit." One of the prison guards announced after breakfast that morning. "He should be here this evening. That means every single one of you has to be on your best behaviour. If any of you do decide to act up, punishments will be more severe than normal."

Jet snorted quietly and went back to – well, wandering around. There wasn't anything else to do in the yard, seeing as the prison guards didn't trust them with anything. They had tried to introduce extra-curricular activities for the prisoners, such as different sports, but they had caused more harm than good with people ending up in the prison hospital.

Jet had been put in solitary for a week after breaking another prisoner's nose.

He wondered how long he would be put into solitary for if he broke the Fire Lord's nose.

xXx

"I'm looking for a prisoner." Zuko said, stopping in front of the prison warden. "I have reason to believe he might be here."

"Is he due for execution, sire?" The warden asked. "Because we have several in solitary right now."

"No, he isn't." Zuko answered. "And if he is, it isn't because I've ordered it. His name is Jet, and he's from the Earth Kingdom. He would've been transferred from the Boiling Rock within the past five years."

"Any particular interest you have in this prisoner, sire?" The warden asked. "He's got quite a mouth on him, sire. You should hear some of the things he has to say about the Fire Nation."

_He knows._ Zuko thought, looking at the warden's face and feeling sick to the pit of his stomach. _He knows why I need to find him._

"The Fire Lord needs to find him because he owes him his life." Mai huffed. "It's obvious that he's here, so why don't you just show us to where he is and you can go about your regular business."

The warden looked from Mai to Zuko, and then bowed to both of them. "I'll have him brought to you, sire." The warden left the room, leaving Zuko and Mai alone with only the guards outside for company.

"Mai..." Zuko said quietly.

"You don't need to say anything." She said, folding her arms and looking away. "I don't like people insinuating things like that about you."

"Thank you." Zuko said. "For everything."

"I'm going to wait outside." Mai said, heading for the door. She stopped and turned to face Zuko. "Do what you think is right, Zuko. Don't do something because you feel you have to. If anything, he owes you for not killing him when you had the chance."

Zuko watched as his wife left the room and waited patiently for when Jet was brought to him. He wasn't sure what he wanted to say to the other – well, man. They were both men now. They were both grown up, compared to when they first met.

The door opened and Jet was led in by two prison guards. They checked that his hands were shackled securely, and then left. Zuko waited for Jet to acknowledge him, looking at how the other had changed during the five years. He didn't really look any different – he was leaner and looked as though he had lost some muscle, but his hair was still the same.

"You found me." Jet stated.

"Jet, I –"

"Five years too late." Jet said, his voice too calm. He should've been yelling and screaming. He should've been yelling at Zuko. "I told you not to spend your life fixing your father's mistakes. I tried to give you something to live for."

"I looked for you." Zuko insisted.

"Not hard enough." Jet said.

"There was nothing to show me where you were, Jet." Zuko said. "I went to Boiling Rock and I asked the guards – none of them knew where my sister had you sent. I even asked her, but she wouldn't answer me. She couldn't answer me, Jet. She couldn't answer me because she isn't there anymore."

"What do you want me to do, Zuko?" Jet asked. "Welcome you back in open arms? Break down in tears and forgive you? I'm not going to do anything like that."

"I wouldn't expect you to."

"Then why are you here?" Jet asked.

"Because you told me to find you." Zuko answered, stepping closer to the other man. "And because you're worth everything to me, Jet. I would give everything up for me if you wanted me too."

"I don't want you to." Jet said, his gaze dropping to the floor. "Things changed, Zuko. You have your new life, and I'm going to have mine. All I want is to get out of this prison and start again. I want to see if I can find out what happened to my friends and I want to rebuild my own life – you have to keep on rebuilding the world."

Zuko reached out and placed his hand on top of one of Jet's. "Is there anything I can say to change your mind?"

"No." Jet shook his head. "I don't want to ruin your life, Zuko. I saw her standing outside – she's your _wife_."

"But –"

"She loves you." Jet said. "She loves you, and so do I. But I can see that she needs you. She needs you, and you need her."

"I need you too."

"No, you don't. You just want me."

"Maybe they're the same thing."

"They're not." Zuko insisted, folding his arms.

Jet chuckled. "Y'know, one day I'm going to realise what a big mistake all of this was – who in their right mind would turn down the Fire Lord?"

"Someone who doesn't want to be trapped." Zuko said. "I wish... I wish I could run away with you. When I said that I would give everything up for you, I realised that I couldn't. The Fire Nation needs stability, and that's what I am at the moment."

"As soon as the Fire Nation needs something new, come and find me." Jet winked.

"And what if it doesn't need something new?" Zuko asked.

"Then I'll just keep waiting." Jet shrugged.

"I don't want you to go."

"It's going to be for the best." Jet said.

"Maybe..." Zuko sighed. "Maybe you could come to the Fire Nation with me for a few days? Just to get your bearings. To adjust after being in prison."

Jet gestured to the door with his head. "Is she gonna like that?"

"No." Zuko said, cracking a smile. "But she'll have to."

"Only a few days." Jet said.

"A few days." Zuko nodded.

"Or maybe weeks."

"Months?"

"Pushing it." Jet grinned.

"So years are out of the question?"

"We'll have to see."

"Y'know, being Fire Lord means I could always order you to stay." Zuko said, taking another step closer to Jet. "I could even ask my guards to lock you up in the palace."

"I will consider that if I ever want to leave." Jet smiled, leaning forwards to press a kiss to Zuko's lips.

_If_.

**The End.**

**A/N: And now that's over. I didn't feel as though smut would really fit into this chapter, seeing as it was five years since they last saw each other, and Jet would be pissed off for being abandoned in a random Fire Nation prison.**

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed and favourited.**

**Any comments or feedback are appreciated.**


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